Three Time's a Charm
by Ladykestrel
Summary: Iris goes solo on her first case as a CSI which just happens to have Brass as lead detective, causing them to spend extra time together as their investigation proceeds. What will happen between them as their investigation causes their friendship to evolv
1. Chapter 1

Disclaimer: I don't own "CSI" or any of its characters; they belong to CBS and/or Anthony Zuiker. The character of Iris King is mine.

Rated: K to K+ (?)

Spoilers: None I'm aware of.

Acknowledgements: To the ones making up my sounding board and/or beta duty, Kacee, Onyx, Mel and Sassy. "Wasted" written by Troy Verges, Marv Green and Hillary Lindsey; performed by Carrie Underwood. "Making Memories of Us" written by Rodney Crowell; performed by Keith Urban. "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" written and performed by Toby Keith. "Must Be Doing Something Right" words/music by Patrick Matthews and Marty Dodson; performed by Billy Currington.

A/N: Iris goes solo on her first case as a CSI which just happens to have Brass as lead detective, causing them to spend extra time together as their investigation proceeds. What will happen between them as their investigation causes their friendship to evolve further? I'm doing some one shot stories of Jim and Iris.

"Three Time's a Charm"

Chapter One

Tara Peterson was in a hurry as she drove down the street in the early evening. She knew she was speeding a little in her minivan, but she had to get to the baby

sitter's to pick her children up or be charged extra for being late. Her cell phone rang and she reached down to pick it up – it was the babysitter calling. Her eyes went off the road for just a moment and when she looked up she screamed.

Grissom had called Iris on her night off as it was a busy night at the CSI lab as he scrambled to cover all assignments. She had just recently been promoted to a CSI-2 and he figured it was time for her to take a case on her own. He was confident of her abilities and that this case should be a pretty routine one from start to finish.

Iris pulled up to the accident scene in her Jeep and took out her kit. The street was closed to traffic and was ablaze with red and blue lights and was cordoned off with yellow tape. She had butterflies in her stomach but took a deep breath and walked on to the scene. In the distance high-pitched barking or yelps could be heard, making her wonder what was a dog doing at the scene of a pedestrian fatality.

Jim Brass met Iris as she came on into the scene. "Hey, Iris, I thought you were off tonight."

Iris gave him a hint of a smile, saying, "Grissom pulled rank and called me in…just teasing there. He's short-handed tonight and didn't have anyone free to send to this case. Besides he thinks its time for me to go solo on a case and let me try my CSI-2 wings. So what do we have here?"

"Good luck! I know you'll do fine or Gil wouldn't have sent you out alone. Anyway, the victim's name is Jack Thompson, age 58, a music teacher at Bishop Gorman High School. He was just out walking his dog tonight and was crossing the street when he had a close encounter of the minivan kind. The driver's name is Tara Peterson. She's pretty shook up but I'm going to ask her some initial questions." Brass closed his notepad.

"Thanks, I appreciate the vote of confidence there especially." Iris said wryly.

Brass gave her a friendly pat on the shoulder and wink before he went on to question the driver.

Iris went on to where the body of Jack Thompson lay. He lay crumpled with arms and legs askew in front of the minivan, looking like a rag doll a child had carelessly tossed. She quickly took a series of photographs as well as of the surrounding area, especially close-ups of the body. What struck her immediately was that the victim had been wearing a baseball cap which had flown a few feet from the body and a wig that was also lying on the street nearly halfway between the baseball cap and body. Iris quickly noted that the victim was totally bald with no shadowing of growing hair stubble or evidence of recent shaving. She wrote down her observations of the body. Retrieving a rolling tape measure from her Jeep, she began to make a series of measurements to note the position of the minivan in relation to the body and from the sidewalk to where the minivan had struck the victim.

Tara Peterson continued to shake under the blanket she wore given her by the ambulance driver. Jim approached her quietly.

"Mrs. Peterson, I'm Detective Jim Brass of the LVPD. I'm sorry but I need to ask you some questions about tonight's events. Please tell me in your own words what occurred." Jim said gently.

The young woman took a shaky breath before replying. "I was driving down the street on my way to pick up my two kids from the sitter's. I was going a little faster than I should have I admit. I saw…I saw Mr. Thompson walking his dog down the sidewalk. We'd never met, of course, but I've seen him several times every week when he walked his dog. You can't miss that dog of his."

"Go on, Mrs. Peterson," Jim encouraged as he made additional notes.

"My cell phone rang and when I looked down I saw it was the sitter calling, so I reached down to get my phone. When I glanced back up, there was Mr. Thompson standing in the middle of my side of the street. His dog's leash was one of these extension types. He looked like he was trying to pull the dog back his way. I…I…I couldn't stop in time. It happened so fast. He hit my windshield and flew up in front of me and landed over there..." Tara pointed as she couldn't finish and began to sob quietly.

"Have you had anything to drink tonight, Mrs. Peterson? It's a standard question I have to ask to include in my report." Brass asked, placing a hand on the woman's shoulder in a gesture of compassion.

"Yes, I went with some friends to happy hour after work just to relax a little while before going after my kids. I only had two beers! I'd never drive drunk or anything like that! I've got kids!" Tara said in a rush.

"You've been very cooperative, Mrs. Peterson. An officer is going to conduct a field sobriety test that's standard procedure in a situation like this. We've called your husband and the baby sitter. Your husband is on his way and he knows you're okay. You may be needed to come down to the police department for additional questioning as our investigation proceeds." Brass summarized as he motioned to one of the patrol officers to initiate the sobriety test.

Tara mutely nodded her consent.

Brass then walked over to Iris as she continued her measurement taking. He and Iris had slowly gotten acquainted since she'd joined Grissom's team less than three months ago, albeit in the unique fashion they'd met on her very first day at the lab - running into each other as he walked out of his office while she was returning a stack of case files to Doris in Records. He'd landed on top of Iris as they fell to the floor, causing her to ask him if he was wearing a very big gun or happy to see her, before Grissom formally introduced them. Iris also worked on the day shift for Ecklie's team as needed but was more content to have Grissom as her supervisor. Brass had eaten with her and the CSI graveyard team a number of times. Jim had noted that she was on the introverted side but once she got know you was witty and pleasant company.

"What's the scoop, Captain?" Iris questioned as she finished the last of her measurements.

"Iris, remember to call me Jim or Brass! Captain or detective is too flipping formal for me!" Brass exclaimed but good-naturedly.

"Aye, sir," Iris intoned with a quick rise of her eyebrows and a mock salute.

Brass knew he was being teased with and merely stood expectantly with his notepad.

"I'm all yours," Iris said in a slightly flirty way, then shook her head in disbelief at her response.

"All mine, eh? I'll keep that in mind for when I need an ace to throw down. Anyway, the victim was hit while crossing the street by Mrs. Peterson. She insists that the victim just stopped in the middle of her lane and she couldn't avoid hitting him because she was answering her cell phone at the same time. The victim, according to Mrs. Peterson, was just standing there and trying to pull his dog back to him on one of those long extension leashes. Mrs. Peterson also stated he walks his dog several times on this street through the week and she's seen him multiple times. She admitted to driving too fast and drinking a couple of beers earlier at a happy hour." Brass finished, flipping his notebook closed to put back in the breast pocket of his suit jacket.

"I know that sounds pretty cut and dried, uh, Jim, but there's something odd here in regard to the victim." Iris remarked.

"Like what?" Brass questioned with a raised brow.

"Come along, Dr. Watson, the game is afoot," Iris replied with a smile. She and Grissom had swiftly discovered a common interest in older movies. Brass understood the reference for once and gave her a slight grin.

"Jim, look closely at the victim's face and tell me what you see?"

"Okay. The guy's bald and didn't want to advertise that fact and wore a wig and he's been smacked by a minivan. So?"

"You're correct that Mr. Thompson is bald as bald can be and was wearing the wig under his baseball cap. The scalp shows no sign of hair growth or marks indicative of shaving the head with a razor. Another thing is he's missing an eyebrow." Iris said as she pointed out her findings to Brass.

"An eyebrow?" Brass queried, his face showing his puzzlement.

"It's a fake eyebrow, Jim. The opposite one is glued on but hanging off halfway! I'm going to retrace the scene to find the eyebrow on the loose." Iris turned to begin her search.

"Here, let me help. I got nothing pressing to do back at the office or another crime scene to cover." Brass pulled out a flashlight to give further assistance.

"Aw, no hot dates?" Iris asked teasingly.

"Not unless you're asking me out, hot lips!" Brass shot back with a grin.

Iris didn't reply, feeling her cheeks go red in embarrassment, causing her to look away from him.

"Iris, I was joking with you! You can turn down your blush response! You know I like getting a rise out of you!" Brass jokingly continued.

"I know! It's built-in and there's not a blessed thing I can do," Iris said in despair.

"Well, to be honest, I think it's cute and I get a kick out of being the reason you blush," Jim told her.

"The other guys on the team say the same, drat it!" Iris added as she began to sweep the street with her flashlight.

"Iris?"

"Yup."

"Don't move your foot!"

"Okey dokey."

Brass came by her and bent down toward the street as Iris caught the scent of his cologne as he did so. Her breathing became faster and her pulse quickened.

She also leaned down with pair of a tweezers and small evidence bag, noting their heads were very close to each other. Brass pointed with his flashlight beside her foot where an eyebrow-shaped and hair-covered piece of material lay.

"Wow! That could've been a needle in a haystack. Good work, Dr. Watson," Iris murmured.

"Sometimes you get lucky, so am I hired as your personal assistant?" Brass asked with a hint of suggestion.

"Uh, well, I'd hire you in a heartbeat but Grissom has to approve your time and any overtime involved!" Iris replied with a grin as she teased him back as she bagged and catalogued the fake eyebrow.

Iris was getting ready to leave when she heard the barking and yelping yet again. She walked over to an Animal Control truck and one of the cages held a strikingly white large dog. Being a dog lover, Iris gauged the dog to be a husky/shepherd mix and cautiously approached. She reached into her jacket pocket for a dog snack she always had ready when getting home to her own dogs. The animal control officer was leaning on the truck with a bored expression.

"I'd like to give him a snack, he seems friendly enough," Iris requested as the animal control officer looked at her.

"Yeah, he was good about hopping up in the truck so I think you can give him a little nibble." The animal control officer said while stifling a yawn.

"Hi, fella, would you like a yummy? What's your name I wonder? Let's look at your tag. Hello, Phantom!" Iris said softly as she gave the dog a snack that he wolfed down. She was rewarded with a wagging tail and reaching paw through the cage.

"I think you made a new friend, Iris." She heard a deep voice say beside her as she noted Brass had walked over.

"He's handsome, no doubt about it!" Iris said admiringly, patting Phantom on the head. Brass also gave the dog a scratch behind the ears as Phantom's tail wagged furiously, the dog licking Jim's hand as he whined.

"What am I…chopped liver?" Brass joked yet again.

"Nope, I'd say you're prime grade A top steak, yummy to the max!" Iris replied hastily and then realized what she'd said. No blush, no blush, she told herself.

Brass laughed at her before looking thoughtful, "Me, yummy?"

"So I've heard." Iris tried to do damage control quickly.

"Okay from who?" Brass asked with a challenging tone.

"Ladies at the lab, but I am pleading the fifth beyond that!" Iris said firmly.

Brass was now driving back to the lab as he followed Iris. He mentally went over the victim's profile after going through the dead man's wallet – late fifties, possibly divorced, no pictures of a wife or kids, nothing to suggest a current relationship or someone special in his life. These were things he could find he had in common with the victim. He thought to himself how long could Victoria's Secret catalogues or going to the various strip clubs in Vegas suffice for him? A series of lonely, heavy sighs ensued as he drove on.


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter Two

Upon returning to the lab, Iris popped in to give Grissom a summation of her findings. He listened with interest and then asked a series of probing questions. What did she think of the victim wearing a wig and false eyebrows? Did the driver's story corroborate her initial impressions and evidence-gathering? Was the case going to be a simple investigation from beginning to end?

Iris without skipping a beat gave Grissom her impressions of the case thus far. She was intrigued by the fact that the victim was totally bald, wore a wig and had pasted-on fake eyebrows. Her intent was to check with Dr. Robbins to find out more autopsy findings. She had gotten a rundown from Brass on his initial questioning of the driver and was going to begin piecing together the accident scene and corroborating the measurements she'd taken. The driver had passed a field sobriety test and blood alcohol test. While she concurred this had the appearance of a case that would have a quick conclusion, she wanted to make sure she had covered all aspects fully and that the correct assessment resulted.

"I'd say you were on the hunt then Iris," Grissom said with a cryptic smile.

Iris knew a unique response was needed and gave Grissom a quote:

"The expense of spirit in a waste of shame  
Is lust in action; and till action, lust  
Is perjured, murderous, bloody, full of blame,   
Savage, extreme, rude, cruel, not to trust,  
Enjoy'd no sooner but despised straight,  
Past reason hunted, and no sooner had   
Past reason hated, as a swallow'd bait  
On purpose laid to make the taker mad;  
Mad in pursuit and in possession so;  
Had, having, and in quest to have, extreme;  
A bliss in proof, and proved, a very woe;  
Before, a joy proposed; behind, a dream.  
All this the world well knows; yet none knows well  
To shun the heaven that leads men to this hell."

"William Shakespeare's Sonnet 129. Very good!" Grissom said this time with a larger grin.

Iris went to another room of the lab where a large illuminated white table was used for recreating crime or accident scenes. She arranged the pictures accordingly that gave an interpretation of the evidence from where the victim was standing at the time of impact on. Her measurements were also employed to corroborate the distance between the minivan's impact and where the victim landed. Some things began to stand out to her and caused questions. Why was the victim standing in the street when he had to have seen the driver coming? He should have had ample time to get out of the way of the oncoming minivan. Why was the victim trying to pull his dog into the path of the minivan? The dog had stayed at the end of its leash and on impact the victim had let go of the leash. The dog had gone to the other side of the street and sat expectantly waiting on his master. Things just were not adding up to Iris. She suddenly saw Nick walking by.

"Nick, gotta minute?" Iris asked.

"Sure, what's up?" Nick replied.

"I've got my first case going and could use a second opinion if you don't mind," Iris said hurriedly as she felt a bit nervous.

"Okay, lay it out," Nick said, amiably.

Iris went over her version of the accident and every detail she could recall to give Nick a good outline of what she'd found thus far. Nick nodded at her in approval.

"I'd say you've got a good reconstruction of the accident going for you. You have good questions about why the victim just stood there and trying to reel his dog in at the same time. That makes no sense at all. You've got more digging to do, Iris, but let me know if you need to sound something off of someone," Nick said encouragingly as he patted Iris on the shoulder and went on his way.

She found herself bolstered by his words of encouragement. A few minutes later she heard the rest of the team in the locker area making plans to go to breakfast.

Sara asked her if she was going with them, but Iris had to pass and said she'd take a rain check for today.

Catherine watched her go. "Iris got her first case from Grissom so it stands to reason she's going over it with a fine tooth comb."

Greg had been there and done that as Iris fell just behind him as last in seniority on the team. "We all know what she's going through and that she's going to be even harder on herself."

Warrick sat by Catherine and stretched his tall frame out with a casual yawn. "So has Brass asked Iris out yet?"

He was met with a chorus of disbelieving responses from the team.

"Aw, c'mon, you guys can't tell me you don't see how they act around each other?" Warrick challenged.

"Iris is friendly with everybody, Rick, but I can't quite see her going out with Brass!" Greg observed.

"Those two couldn't be cut from more different pieces of cloth!" Nick agreed.

"Well, opposites attract and who knows there might be instant chemistry," Sara mused with an arched eyebrow.

"Let them come to that conclusion on their own and no help from us encouraging them!" Catherine advised.

"Fair enough, Cat, but I'm laying odds that he's going to ask her out or Iris will ask him out before the week's out!" Warrick proposed confidently.

The room was nearly split evenly with Warrick, Nick and Greg saying Brass would ask Iris out, while Catherine and Sara insisted that Iris was bold enough to do the same.

Unaware of the wagers being taken, Iris was done with her initial overview of the case and getting ready to go home. She had her purse and backpack as she walked by Brass's office when she heard him gripe, "Crap, lost another button!"

She poked her head in. "Captain Brass, uh, I mean Jim?"

"Hey, Iris."

"Wardrobe malfunction?"

"Sort of…lost a button on my shirt."

"I think I can be of assistance."

"Yeah, how?"

Iris smiled as she rummaged through her purse and brought out a traveling sewing kit. "I need you to take your shirt off."

"Is that a request or invitation?" Brass asked suggestively with a smug expression.

"Umm, take it as you will but I still need you out of your shirt," Iris replied with a quiet giggle.

"Your wish is my command," Jim obeyed with a cocked eyebrow.

As Brass removed his shirt, he was wearing a sleeveless white undershirt. Iris covertly snuck a look over his torso, feeling her pulse quicken as well as her breathing. He'd been working out she could tell. She spied the missing button on the floor, deftly picking it up, before threading the needle. She hoped he hadn't noticed her checking him out. It took only a few minutes to reattach the button. She bit off the thread and handed Jim his shirt.

"Thanks, Iris," he said gratefully. He _had_ noticed her checking him out but kept that to himself.

"No problem, I'm always here if you need me," Iris blurted then berated herself for saying something so forward. What was up with her she wondered?

"Heh, really?" Brass questioned thoughtfully.

"Sorry, my mouth gets ahead of me sometimes," Iris apologized.

"Iris, would you…?" Brass began to ask.

"Yes!" Iris replied hastily.

"I didn't get to finish," Brass laughed.

"The answer would still be yes," Iris could feel the blush begin at her neck and creep toward her cheeks.

"If I could please finish…would you like to have dinner with me?" Jim finally asked with a smile.

"Yes, I'd love to and are we talking a date date?" Iris countered with a challenging look.

"Is there a distinction between a date and a date date?" Jim wondered.

"Well, I haven't gone out in a while so I just wondered. Tell me your fantasy, uh, I mean your favorite dinner and I'll make it when we go out again," Iris proposed in a rush.

"Our second date? We have to make it through the first one!" Brass joked.

"Well, I've never been an F anyhow!" Iris said thoughtfully.

"An F? Like a grade or something?" Brass was clueless.

"I have F's – freckles, fine hair, fine age lines! The F is for also for foxy like from back in the day when we were younger yet I never got called, sadly. You're only about eight years ahead of me, Brass!" Iris said exasperatedly with hands on hips.

Brass's response was to absolutely crack up. He'd gotten a rise out of Iris in a new way and was relishing the moment. Jim was laughing so hard that tears were actually coming to his eyes.

"If you mean it, call me later!" Iris said tartly before she walked out of Brass's office.

Grissom was walking by and watched Iris's rapid exit from Brass's office, finding his curiosity was piqued at the exasperated expression on his newest CSI's face and that she had a particularly spectacular blush in progress even for her. What was going on?


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter Three

On her way out, Iris stopped by the pathology area of the lab to visit Dr. Al Robbins. He was waiting on Iris before he began his autopsy of Jack Thompson. Pushing open the swinging door, Iris grabbed a surgical smock on her way in. Al gave her a warm smile as she entered his area. Iris had quickly become a favorite of his on the CSI team, not only because she was like a sponge with what he had to expound on during autopsies and she could render his rambling dictations into a readable report. He repeatedly told Grissom that Iris would be his pathology assistant if she wanted a career change.

"Morning, Iris! You ready to get my initial impressions on your first case here? High time Gil gave you your own case too! I can see where you'd have some questions on this guy here. He's got alopecia just as you noted of the scalp and eyebrows and hair growth is sparse on the rest of the body. There are several potential causes for that. The cause of death is from the massive internal injuries sustained from the minivan pancaking him. Death was pretty much instantaneous. Check this out! The wig retrieved with the baseball cap is made of human hair, probably his, and I've submitted samples from the wig along with a few hair samples from other parts of the body for microscopy and DNA analysis. I've sent off blood and urine for routine drug and toxicology screens," "Doc" Robbins finished up.

"Thanks, Doc, just let me know when you get some preliminary results," Iris requested as she headed out of the autopsy room.

Iris was nearly home when her cell phone rang and she didn't recognize the number as she answered, "King."

"What are you wearing?" A deep voice asked.

"Oh, Nick, you know I'm wearing that studded leather cowgirl outfit with the open hiney chaps and I've got my bullwhip oiled and ready. When are you coming over you big stud so I can ride 'em cowgirl?" Iris asked in a husky, breathless voice.

There was absolute silence at the other end of the phone.

"Nicky, my Texas Tornado, are you there?" Iris asked, doing her best not to burst out laughing.

"First of all, this ain't Nick. Secondly, leather and a whip sound great to me. Thirdly, I don't think you can handle the kind of ride I might have in mind. " Brass was dying laughing at this point.

"You'll just have to find out for yourself, so bring it on and bring back up!" Iris glared at her phone as she hung up.

Grissom sat across from Brass who had his face in his hands with shoulders shaking convulsively as his laughter continued. Grissom could only imagine what Iris was thinking as she had been on speaker phone without her knowledge. Jim was snorting now as he tried to control yet another wave of laughing as his hand repeatedly smacked the top of his desk.

"Last time I saw you laughing this hard was when Max got stuck in the cement after he tried to dump his wife's body at the construction site," Grissom remarked with a small grin.

"Right! That was one for the books! I have to say Iris was playing it very cool there but to imagine her in that sort of get-up will take some doing," Brass finally said between snorts and/or chuckles.

"So you asked her out?" Grissom asked casually.

"Yeah, it was spur of the moment more or less. She's caught my eye for a while now, so I'd like to see what floats her boat," Brass replied.

"I'm going to be curious to hear how this outing goes, Jim," Grissom said with a raised brow.

"You've got nothing to be concerned about, Gil, she'll be in good hands…the best, actually, mine!" Jim said confidently with a hint of smugness.

As soon as Iris got home, her dogs Cyrano and Durante met her at the door. The bloodhounds gave her a thorough sniff over as Phantom's scent caught their interest. After changing into a jogging suit, she snapped on their leashes and took them for a long walk. Her cell phone she left at home on purpose. She preferred to go over the Thompson case findings in her mind as she walked the dogs. The dogs were on extended leashes so they could roam ahead of her. As she crossed the street with them heading back to her town home, a large truck came out of nowhere accelerating toward her. Iris stopped and pulled the dogs close to her as the truck raced past her. Angry at the driver's total lack of consideration for a pedestrian, Iris smacked the truck with one hand as it sped past. The driver's side window rolled down as a digital salute involving the middle finger of the left hand was flashed at Iris.

"The nerve of that creep, he could've hit me…" Iris said to herself as a light went on inside her mind.

Iris turned the corner with her dogs as she approached her town home. The dogs began to whine and then bay as they strained on their leashes. A car she didn't recognize was parked in her drive way, someone was probably lost Iris thought. Holding the dogs in check, Iris approached the car as the driver suddenly got out. To her astonishment, she looked up into the amused face of Brass.

"To what do I owe the pleasure of this unexpected visit, sir?" Iris asked wryly. Cyrano and Durante were fawning over Brass with lolling tongues and wagging tails, begging to be patted. They had always preferred men to women.

"C'mon, Iris, be a good sport. I tried calling you back but kept getting your voicemail. So I figured I'd just pop by on my way home and make sure you were okay," Jim said with a slight bow before patting the dogs.

Iris merely looked at him before a gentle smile came to her lips.

"Oh, my knight in shining armor! Well, come on in if you like and kick your shoes off," Iris said hospitably.

Brass followed her in and looked about her home. The décor was eclectic but tasteful. Iris went for comfortable furniture versus ornamental. She motioned for Jim to sit on an overstuffed sofa while she headed for the kitchen.

"Would you like something to drink?" Iris asked Jim.

"Yeah, what do you have?" Brass questioned.

"I've got sweet ice tea, lemonade, soft drinks, wine coolers or wine." Iris replied as she rummaged through the refrigerator.

"I'll try some of your tea. You have a nice place here!" Jim commented.

"Coming right up, sir! Thanks I really like it here!" Iris went about getting their drinks ready and then brought Jim his tea while she settled into the love seat by the couch.

"When's your next night off so we can name a day for our first date?" Jim asked after taking a long drink of tea. He looked at the glass appreciatively as the tea hit the spot.

"I'm supposed to be off Friday as a matter of fact," Iris replied.

"Well, whaddya know, so am I. I'll pick you up here at six o'clock Friday night," Jim said firmly.

"That sounds good to me. Jim, can I run something by you?" Iris questioned with a furrowed brow.

"Absolutely."

"Okay, I was walking the dogs back tonight and was crossing the last street when this joker in a truck is speeding down the street. I didn't even see him initially it was that quick. Anyway, I waited for him to pass and pulled the dogs in close to me because of their long leashes. I had plenty of time to do so and the jerk driver barreled past me and on his merry way. This got to me thinking about the Thompson case big time. Jim, it seems to me this guy wanted to be hit deliberately. Can you look into getting a search warrant for his home? I just want to be sure I'm covering everything," Iris surmised.

"You got it, Iris. Check with me tomorrow."

"Thanks, Jim, you're great."

"Me? Well, you can thank me personally Friday night."

"Umm, okay, and thanks for stopping to check on me too. That was very gentlemanly of you."

"Don't mention it! By the way, anything special you want to do Friday?"

"We can make it up as we go along."

"You're a spontaneous girl! I'm up to that challenge."

"See you later then, JB."

"JB?"

"Well, it's Jim and Brass as you said to call you."

"You're the only one who calls me that then."

"Good, I want exclusivity."

Brass suddenly caught Iris's hand in his as her eyes shyly shifted to his. He kissed the top of her hand slowly and lingeringly and then turned it over to plant another kiss in the palm.

"Something to think on until Friday," Brass said with a smile.

Iris's dimples made a rare appearance. "I promise to not be what you expect."

"My curiosity will be going till then," Brass said as he got up to go as Iris saw him to the door.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter Four

The next day Iris stopped in Brass's office. He gave her a piece of paper to look over which was a search warrant to inspect Jack Thompson's apartment. Before coming to work, Iris had checked on Phantom in Animal Control. The large white dog would be kept in quarantine for 10 days as routine before being placed up for adoption. His good disposition continued and he was fast becoming a favorite with the animal control officers.

"When do we go to check out Thompson's apartment?"

"We can go this afternoon. I have a court appearance this morning."

"Great. We could have lunch before we go if you like."

"Wish I could but I don't know how long court may hold me, besides we've got tomorrow night to look forward to."

"Right, well, just call me when you're free."

It was early afternoon and Iris was still at the lab, munching on an apple, as she went over her case notes yet again. She leaned back in the break room chair and went over the accident scene again, visualizing Tara Peterson driving down the street until after Jack Thompson was struck, then reversing her thoughts to see it through the eyes of Jack. She imagined Jack walking Phantom on the extended leash as they began to cross the street. Phantom is pulling ahead a few feet. Jack sees the minivan coming down the street and begins to try to pull Phantom back to him. He stands in the street instead of trying to hurry up and get to the opposite sidewalk. She groaned to herself as she rubbed at her eyes.

"How goes the battle?" Detective Sofia Curtis asked as she took a seat beside Iris. They had had little interaction between since Iris had joined the CSI team as Sofia's main shift was days. "Jim told me you'd gotten your first solo case. I can relate since I used to be a CSI."

"So far so good I suppose. There are still some questions nagging at me that I'm continuing to work up. Brass has secured a search warrant for the victim's apartment and we're going there after he's done at court. This case seems to a simple pedestrian fatality but to me there's more than meets the eye and I just want to be sure I've looked at all angles." Iris took a drink of bottled water after that.

"Jim's a sharp-eyed old fox and he won't steer you wrong. The grapevine is buzzing about you two going out tomorrow night by the way," Sofia said in a low voice with a sly smile.

"Please don't tell me there are bets going on!" Iris wondered.

"Let's just say that the two of you going out has caused a stir throughout the lab and LVPD."

"Why is that?"

"Oh don't take it wrong, Iris, but you two are pretty different individuals and the news just surprised people."

"I see. Is it being viewed positively?"

"Yeah, I think so."

"Thanks, Sofia."

"I hope you two have a great time tomorrow night. Jim needs someone steady in his life."

Not sure of how to take Sofia's comment, Iris simply nodded her head as her cell phone suddenly rang. It was Brass who told her to meet him in the parking garage in five minutes so they could head on to Jack Thompson's apartment to initiate the search warrant. Twenty minutes later, they pulled into the apartment complex and met the manager who gave them access to the apartment.

"I'm still in a state of shock. Jack was a model tenant. He was quiet, polite, always paid his rent on time." The apartment manager said as she went to unlock the front door.

"Thanks, we'll return the keys on our way out," Brass told the manager.

Jim and Iris stepped into the efficiency apartment and found it to be in order and immaculately clean. Different musical instruments were in the living room area where Jack had given tutoring lessons to high school students. Pictures of Jack with Phantom were found throughout. The workup of Jack Thompson's life revealed he had been divorced for several years and had no children from his marriage. Brass had interviewed the principal of Bishop Gorman High School. Jack Thompson had been considered to be an excellent teacher who cared for his students, often gave free music lessons to students in need, but was something of a loner who kept to himself. Brass inspected the living room while Iris went immediately to the bedroom. She noted a laptop computer on a corner desk which served as a little office nook. There was a manila folder marked "confidential". A screen saver of Bugs Bunny playing piano was in progress, making her giggle out loud.

"What's funny?" She heard Brass ask from the living room.

"Bugs Bunny."

"Oh. What's up doc?"

"I must have taken a wrong turn in Albuquerque." Iris tried to say in a Bugs Bunny fashion but sounding like she was from New York was a struggle, too much of the Midwest girl she was crept through.

"Leave the sounding from back east to this Jersey boy!" Jim laughed.

Iris continued her looking next in the bathroom. She opened the medicine cabinet and found several prescription bottles of medication. Her curiosity was mounting now as she looked over each bottle and noted the drug names. It was times such as this that her former years as a nurse came through.

"Jim?"

"Yo."

"Can you come into the bathroom please?"

"Be right there."

As Jim came into the bathroom, Iris had selected four bottles of medication. Brass looked at them curiously and then shrugged his shoulders.

"Jim, these four medications are Temodor, Depakote, dexamethasone and hydrocodone. Temodor is a chemotherapy medication, Depakote is used for seizures or convulsions, dexamethasone is a steroid, and hydrocodone a narcotic painkiller. This is a drug regimen for cancer treatment. We need access to his medical records next. It would also explain the scalp and facial alopecia." Iris rushed as her excitement mounted.

"Whoa, whoa, whoa! This guy had cancer? He didn't look in bad shape to me at the accident scene."

"I think he did have cancer but was going to great lengths to keep that concealed for whatever reason. I mean he was wearing a wig, wore fake eyebrows, stayed to himself from the look of things. You've already interviewed the high school principal. I'd also like to check out his laptop computer." Iris ran down what she wanted to delve into next.

"Yeah, the principal commented that Jack had been taking off more the last several months but had a lot of personal time built up and said it was for personal reasons. They never raised an eyebrow, heh, no pun intended, Iris. You know I

appreciate your desire to get to the truth. I once said the truth makes me wild." Jim remarked as he disconnected the laptop to take with them back to the lab along with the manila folder marked confidential. Iris bagged up the contents of the medicine cabinet.

"That's something else we have in common then, I mean you're saying the truth makes you wild. I'd say the same of myself." Iris agreed as she walked past him with a faint smile.

On the way back to the lab, Jim called to request a subpoena for Jack Thompson's medical records from the physicians listed on the prescription bottles. Iris also called "Doc" Al Robbins to ask if a routine analysis had also been done of Jack Thompson's blood. Al said he would look into and asked Iris why out of curiosity. She quickly updated him with what had been found in Jack Thompson's apartment.

"Iris, I'll see you back here tonight then. I'm headed over to get that subpoena and get the ball rolling for those medical records you need."

"You're a sly fox, JB!"

"Me?"

"Sure and I mean that in the best possible way! Gotta scoot!" Iris said nervously as she darted down the hall toward the AV lab with the laptop computer and manila envelope and bag of prescription medications to submit as evidence. Jim watched her go in that fast little trot of hers that was her way of keeping up with those taller than herself. She barely came up to his chin he'd noted when she was near him. He chuckled to himself wondering how Friday night was going to unfold for them.

Iris logged into one of the CSI computers and began to research the medications found at Jack Thompson's home as well as causes for scalp and facial alopecia. Her note-taking was furious as she progressed in the searches. The minutes slipped into hours as her time at the computer continued. She pulled off her glasses to rub at weary eyes, opening them in surprise when a cup of hot chocolate was placed in her hands.

"You look like you needed a pick me up. You ought to take a break," Brass admonished her. Grissom stood by Brass as well.

"Jim tells me you both had a successful search of the victim's residence."

"That's right, Griss. We found some prescription medications that I'm researching right now. My thinking is that Jack Thompson was receiving treatment for some sort of cancer. I've asked Doc Robbins to run a routine analysis on the blood taken from the autopsy. And JB, uh, I mean Jim is going to subpoena Jack's medical records to aid our investigation."

"Sounds like you're pursuing the evidence in a thorough fashion and not settling for just a routine explanation of it."

"I've gotten good input from Nick as well as Jim, so I am feeling very hopeful."

"Keep after it, Iris! I know you'll see this through."

"Gil, I should have those medical records to Iris by tomorrow afternoon. The doctors are cooperating and who knows we have the case break wide open," Brass chimed in.

"Well, I'm taking Jim's advice and heading on home for a few hours before shift tonight. See you two later on!"

After Iris had left, Grissom walked on with Brass to his office where he took a seat across from Jim.

"So what do you have planned as your first date? Do you remember when your last date was? Do you remember what a date is?" Grissom asked good-naturedly.

"Ho, ho, ho! Yes, I do remember. It's been a while…okay, a long while….but I still remember the basics. Sheesh! Brass griped in reply.

"But this is one of my CSI's, Jim, so you can understand my additional interest here."

"Of course, Gil, and I promise she's going to have a nice night out with me."

"Well, I hope it's a great time you two will have."

"Thanks. I have the feeling it's going to be."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter Five

Iris was able to leave on time Friday morning, finding she had a sense of mounting anticipation regarding her date with Brass. The medical records which had been subpoenaed were to be delivered by Monday due to a glitch that had occurred because some of the medical records were stored elsewhere and the process required to retrieve them couldn't be hurried any sooner. "Doc" Robbins had a preliminary report on analysis of Jack Thompson's blood and the findings included thrombocytopenia, anemia and leucopenia and supported the theory of cancer treatment as well as immunosuppression. The initial toxicology results had also shown the prescription medications found in the apartment.

As she headed out of the lab, she stopped briefly at Brass's office and knocked at doorframe as she shyly said, "Morning, JB."

He glanced up and shot her a grin, "Enter, milady."

"Actually I'm headed home but wanted to touch base to ask what I ought to wear for tonight since I have no clue what you may have planned."

"How about that leather and studded cowgirl outfit with the open-hiney chaps and the whip you mentioned when you thought I was Nick? That would be a heckuva hot look!"

"Ahem, perhaps on our second date but how about a black outfit I've worn to a couple of my dance contests doing western type dancing?"

"You'll be foxy in it, no doubt in my mind."

Iris's eyes took on a delighted sparkle as she slightly inclined her head at him.

"Remember, I'll be at your town home at six o'clock sharp to pick you up."

"I'll be ready with bells on and the whip just in case."

"Mmm, I like the sound of tonight already."

"I'm thinking I'll have an angel on one shoulder and a devil on the other!"

"You'll be a little of both I hope."

"Better take out or update your life insurance policy then, studly!"

"Don't worry and I'll name you as beneficiary."

Iris was doing all she could not to break out laughing, so she merely waved at Brass and headed on out to her Jeep. The rest of the afternoon passed quickly for Iris as she made ready for her first date with Brass, hoping it wouldn't be just a one time outing. Her next-door neighbor's son agreed to watch her dogs as he was very attached to them. She took a long soaking bath, tried to curl her hair and ruing the fact it was baby fine and wouldn't behave, followed by her putting on her favorite black outfit consisting of a black scooped neck denim shirt and black jeans with black cowboy boots. Her hair finally cooperated and had a little body for once with the curling iron's help. Stepping back from the mirror, she gave herself a final once over as her doorbell rang. She gasped and thought crap was it six o'clock already?

Butterflies suddenly manifested in her tummy. She felt flushed and nervous at the same time. It had been so long since she had last gone out, then she had to be honest with herself about that part of her life. Her dating inexperience was going to be patent to Brass, who she hoped would find her good company just the same. Keeping positive thoughts in the forefront of her mind, she went to open the front door.

"Your prince has arrived!" Brass joked as he framed her doorway. He was dressed in a black button-down denim shirt and black jeans, mirroring Iris's outfit to her surprise. Black looked very nice on him and, oh my, how he filled out those jeans she thought.

"Wow! You are such a hottie in black! Let me grab my purse and we're on our way. Remember, I'm not going to be what you expected," Iris commented as she ran a hand appreciatively down his chest with a sly wink for his benefit. Brass ate it up.

"I am definitely looking forward to finding out what you mean by that and may I say you look marvelous as well," Brass grinned at her.

Brass walked Iris out to his car and opened the passenger door for her, Iris thinking it a very classy move as she had no problem with his chivalry. Before they even left the driveway, Jim took her hand in his to kiss the top of as he had a few days ago. Iris felt herself shiver at the touch of his lips to her skin, something Brass picked up on and that encouraged him.

"So, where are we headed for boss?"

"We're going to Gilley's Saloon for dinner and dancing since you like country style dancing," Brass informed her.

"Have you ever danced country before, Jim?" Iris asked with amusement. The image of Brass doing a two-step or line dancing was tickling her fancy as well as the thought that he wanted to do something she liked exclusively.

"You might be surprised….I do get out now and again."

"Oh, I don't doubt that for a minute, it's just country dancing's not everyone's cup of tea."

"Just be ready."

"You got me."

"Remember you said that."

Brass pulled into the Gilley's Saloon parking lot which was crowded to capacity on Friday night with pickups, SUVs, cars and motorcycles. Luck was with them as they found a parking place near the main entrance. Jim quickly hopped out to get Iris's door yet again, then offered his arm to escort her on in. Iris demurely accepted his arm as they walked on inside.

The place was buzzing from the restaurant area to the dance areas with live music or juke box or even karaoke in progress. Iris had never been here before but was well acquainted with the atmosphere.

"This reminds me of Billy Bob's back in Fort Worth when I lived in Dallas." She said loudly to Brass as she also noted the not very clad waitresses dressed in cowboy hats, short midriff shirts, chap-style pants and boots.

"It's a jumping place." Jim agreed as his gaze wandered over the nubile waitresses.

Iris playfully poked him the ribs as he continued to stare at the young women. "I take it you like the view here." Brass could only shrug helplessly while he let out a slow whistle. Iris rolled her eyes at him.

They were promptly seated in a booth and began looking over the menus. "Whatever you want you order, don't get sticker shock!" Brass instructed Iris as she nodded while she continued to read over the menu.

They ordered the Cattleman filet mignon steaks with loaded baked potatoes and corn on the cob. As they ate, each asked and answered questions about one another's lives and what had brought each of them to Vegas. Iris listened in fascination at Brass's casual telling of his growing up in Newark, New Jersey, being in the Marines after college and then going into law enforcement. He went on to tell her about the ordeal of cleaning up his department of dirty cops and detectives, the casualties of his marriage from mutual affairs, his estrangement from his daughter Ellie, and then opting to come to Vegas for a new start. He told her honestly this was his first date in a long time, that he hadn't been involved with anyone since his affair and divorce. He made work his life but had some outside interests such as sports, fishing and going to his lake cabin.

Iris told Jim his life had been definitely more interesting than hers by comparison. She surprised him by saying she also was a fellow sports lover as well of basketball, hockey, baseball and basketball. Iris closely followed the Dallas teams. They quickly had a difference of opinion on who had better teams – Brass was partial to his back east teams of the NY Giants, Boston Red Sox, New Jersey Devils and New Jersey Nets. He was delighted to also learn she enjoyed fishing and had stayed at her grandparents' river cabin on the Mississippi River in Missouri as a child. She was devoted to her family who still lived in Indianapolis, doting on her four nieces and three nephews. Iris had wanted to join the military after high school but circumstances at home had prevented that. He knew from her work experiences that she too had a high work ethic and devoted herself to work. Yet, he was aware of her outside interests from talking to other CSI team members and was curious to find out more about her hobbies. She loved to cook and frequently brought meals for the team and made sure he was always included. Her interests also included sword fencing, horseback riding and singing in her church choir.

"So I guess in a dark alley I'd want you on my side since you can use a sword and ride a horse." Jim joked with her.

"Well, I'd love to have you come to the stable sometime where I keep Kyrie."

"Kyrie?"

"Yes, that's my horse. Who knows I might even persuade you to come ride with me."

"Doubtful, hon, but sure I'd come out to see him with you."

"Next thing you know we'll be engaged." Iris laughed but then clapped her hand over her mouth in astonishment as her cheeks became bright pink.

Jim said nothing but looked at her thoughtfully but noted her chagrin as well. He moved to put her at ease by simply taking her hand in his to kiss softly with a twinkle in his eye.

"You haven't talked about your marriage Iris."

"Gee, where to start on that subject, okay, here goes. David and I knew each other in high school and then college. We were friends but never dated. There came a time he felt like he wanted to be married and thought I'd feel the same way. He was clear from the beginning it would be in name only and that he didn't love me. I was foolish enough to believe that perhaps afterwards it would grow into that. It didn't and I was stuck in a loveless relationship. David and I had separate rooms and there was never any intimacy. I was close to ending the marriage when he was killed. I mourned the death of a friend but not husband. I promised myself I'd never settle again. Wow, very few people outside of my family know that. Please forgive my babbling." Iris looked away at that point, distressed that she had revealed too much about her failed marriage.

"Never intimate…does that mean what I think it does?"

"Pure as the driven snow…that would be me." Iris looked down now, feeling embarrassed that she had said it so matter-of-factly but also that she could say anything to Jim


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter Six

Brass took in what she had said before he suddenly stood up and held his hand out to her. Iris looked at him with questioning eyes as she silently put her hand in his. He headed out to the dance floor with her as the DJ set up another song to play. Holding her close he began to lead in a slow dance as Carrie Underwood's "Wasted" began to play. She moved easily with him as she snuggled against him with a soft sigh. His arms slid around her to keep them close as did her own arms about his waist. She sang part of the lyrics in a low sweet alto…"I don't want to spend my life jaded, waiting to wake up one and find that I've let all these years go by wasted…oh, I don't wanna keep on wishing, missing, but still every morning the color of the night, I ain't spending no more time wasted."

"Do you feel that way sometimes, Iris?"

"Once in a great while."

"Do you feel that way tonight?"

"No, I wouldn't trade tonight for anything."

Jim smiled down at her as they continued to dance.

"Brass, is that you? Hey, Iris!"

To Jim and Iris's surprise, Nick sidled up to them with Sofia. Nick flashed them his ear-to-ear grin as they danced beside them.

"You two having a fun evening so far? Sofia's never been to a country western dance place. Iris, you can't tell me you've never been to Billy Bob's or Gilley's in Dallas!" Nick hollered above the crowd noise to Brass and Iris.

"I've been to both. Come on, cowboy, show me what you've got!" Iris slid over to partner with Nick as a new song started "Honky Tonk Badonkadonk". Sofia shifted to dance with Brass as a line dance quickly started. Nick let out a whoop as Iris had him by the belt buckle as she spun past him and did a sliding move to dip with his hip. Brass did the same move with Sofia moving in the same manner. Iris shot him a flirty look as she continued to dance with Nick.

As the song ended, Nick hugged Iris close and whispered to her that he'd never seen Brass this loose before. Iris grinned up at him before she slipped away to go to the DJ who leaned down to hear her request and receive her generous tip. Nick had reclaimed Sofia as Iris walked back to Brass. He looked at her with a raised brow when she suddenly grabbed his belt buckle, dipped herself back and arched back to him as Travis Tritt's "T-R-O-U-B-L-E" began to play. She jumped into a wicked two-step that Brass refused to be hard-pressed to follow, as she improvised moves and he followed right along. Nick and Sofia tried to keep up and finally stood back as Iris and Brass were given more of the floor by those dancing around them. Western swing and Texas two-step moves alternated as Iris was whirled and twirled by Brass as they were now the only ones dancing as they were cheered on. At the end of the song after a series of dizzying spins, Brass dipped Iris low and brought her up so close that their lips nearly brushed.

"You've got you some moves, JB;" Iris said breathlessly.

"Babe, you have no clue," Brass replied with wicked smile.

"Goshamighty you two tore up the floor!" Sofia laughed.

"Iris, girl, Brass is a dead man if he ain't careful!" Nick joked.

"She's got her hands full with me, make no mistake!" Brass asserted as he draped an arm over Iris's shoulder. He bent slightly to nuzzle her ear and felt her shiver as her eyes closed shyly.

"Alright, folks, let's slow things down just a bit. Here's Keith Urban's "Making Memories of Us" for you lovers out there." The DJ told the crowd as the song began and the floor filled with slow-dancing couples.

"Catch ya'll later!" Nick drawled as he and Sofia moved slowly on into the crowd.

Jim cradled Iris close as they slowly waltzed together. Her head just came up his chin as he knew it would. His hands gently stroked her back. Iris turned her head slightly as her lips gently brushed Jim's neck. He felt a soft wet pressure that increased and deliciously moved up his neck until his earlobe was involved. His arms tightened around her in response.

"Iris?"

"Mmm."

"What are ya doing?"

"Being unexpected…and making a memory." She looked up at him with a "come hither" expression through half-lidded eyes that was as close as she could come to being sultry before giving him a secretive smile.

The song continued…

"_I'm gonna be here for you baby  
I'll be a man of my word  
Speak the language in a voice that you have never heard  
I wanna sleep with you forever  
And I wanna die in your arms  
In a cabin by a meadow where the wild bees swarm  
And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us  
I wanna honor your mother  
I wanna learn from your pa  
I wanna steal your attention like a bad outlaw  
I wanna stand out in a crowd for you  
A man among men  
I wanna make your world better than it's ever been  
And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us  
We'll follow the rainbow  
Wherever the four winds blow  
And there'll be a new day  
Comin' your way  
I'm gonna be here for you from now on  
This you know somehow  
You've been stretched to the limits but it's alright now  
And I'm gonna make you a promise  
If there's life after this  
I'm gonna be there to meet you with a warm, wet kiss  
And I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll earn your trust making memories of us  
I'm gonna love you like nobody loves you  
And I'll win your trust making memories of us."_

He spied Nick nearby who was giving him a thumbs-up with his trademark wide grin. Brass shot him a wink as a silent reply before his attention went fully back on Iris again. At the conclusion of the song, Nick could be seen giving Sofia an extended lip-lock that seemed to get more intense by the second. Jim hollered at them "go get a room" much to Iris's dismay as they walked back to their table.

Nick looked like he was mulling that recommendation over while Sofia was overcome with giggles.

The DJ continued the slow-dance theme for another song as Toby Keith's "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" began to play. Iris shot a glance at the DJ. These songs were getting too close for comfort she felt as she and Brass continued to dance.

They continued to listen to the second song's lyrics as their dance progressed.

"_I got a funny feeling  
The moment that your lips touched mine  
Something shot right through me  
My heart skipped a beat in time  
There's a different feel about you tonight  
It's got me thinkin' lots of crazy things  
I even think I saw a flash of light  
It felt like electricity  
You shouldn't kiss me like this  
Unless you mean it like that  
Cause I'll just close my eyes  
And I won't know where I'm at  
We'll get lost on this dance floor  
Spinnin' around  
And around  
And around  
And around  
They're all watchin' us now  
They think we're falling in love  
They'd never believe we're just friends  
When you kiss me like this  
I think you mean it like that  
If you do baby kiss me again  
Everybody swears we make the perfect pair  
But dancing is as far as it goes  
Girl you've never moved me quite  
The way you moved me tonight  
I just wanted you to know  
I just wanted you to know  
You shouldn't kiss me like this  
Unless you mean it like that  
Cause I'll just close my eyes  
And I won't know where I'm at  
And We'll get lost on this dance floor  
And around  
And around  
And around  
They're all watchin' us now  
They think we're falling in love."_

Iris then saw Nick maneuver Sofia over by the DJ as a quick handshake containing another generous tip was exchanged and the DJ giving a quick nod of the head as Nick danced on with Sofia.

"Okay, folks, playing another request here for you couples on the dance floor. Men, make good use of the time. Ladies, at the end of this song plant a wet one on your lover! Here's "Must Be Doing Something Right." The DJ told the crowd.

"_A woman is a mystery  
A man just can't understand  
Sometimes all it takes to please her  
Is the touch of your hand  
And other times you got to take it slow  
And hold her all night long  
Heaven knows there's so many ways  
A man can go wrong  
Must be doing something right  
I just heard ya sigh  
And lean into my kiss  
And close those deep blue need you eyes  
Don't know what I did  
To earn a love like this  
But baby I  
Must be doing something right  
Anywhere you wanna go  
Baby show me the way  
I'm open to suggestions  
On whatever you say  
Tonight's about giving you what you want  
Whatever it takes  
Girl I hope I'm on the right road  
Judging by the smile on your face  
Must be doing something right  
I just heard ya sigh  
And lean into my kiss  
And close those deep blue need you eyes  
Don't know what I did  
To earn a love like this  
But baby I  
Must be doing something right  
Don't know what I did  
To earn a love like this  
But baby I  
Must be doing something right  
Must be doing something right  
Must be doing something right."_

"Interesting songs we're hearing tonight…the kind that makes you wonder about what's going on right at the moment," Jim said as if reading Iris's thoughts. Somehow he found a way to hold her even closer as he looked down at her.

"Songs have a way of doing that," Iris agreed in a neutral tone, fearing she was going to give her feelings away.

When the song line spoke of deep blue need you eyes, Brass whispered deep brown need you eyes instead into Iris's ear as he nuzzled the earlobe as Iris's arms tightened about him in response.

As the song ended, the ripple effect of couples exchanging a kiss began. Nick and Sofia were heeding the command especially so. Brass looked expectantly down at her as she titled her face slightly to his. Their lips brushed gently at first and then parted slightly as their breath mingled with a soft sigh from Iris that Jim silenced as their kiss continued to deepen. It was Nick's turn to tell them to get a room with his trademark wide grin. Iris buried her head in Jim's shoulder, flustered, commanding herself not blush.

"You ready to call it a night?" Jim asked Iris.

"Not yet. Would you like to come back to my house?" Iris replied, wondering ahead of herself what Brass's answer might be.

"Yeah, I would. I'm ready for a change of scenery," Jim answered amiably as they headed back to their table to get her purse and their coats before leaving.

On the way back to Iris's home, the conversation flowed easily between them. Brass continued to hold her hand as he drove. Iris's cell phone began to vibrate, as did Brass's.

"JB, I hope we're not being called in to work," Iris found herself dreading to take the call but it was a text message. Her eyes widened as her phone was literally going with text message after text message.

"Well, lemme pull over so we can get these messages handled." Jim pulled over quickly into a Wal-Mart parking lot.

As Iris scanned over her messages, she inhaled sharply in disbelief. The messages were from her CSI teammates. From Catherine: What base is he at? Twisting the sheets yet? From Sara: I want gory details. From Sofia: Cuddle, cuddle, cuddle.

"We're getting checked up on, JB," Iris grumbled as she closed her phone.

Brass was also reviewing his messages at the same time, letting go a chuckle as he did so. From Nick: Ride 'em, cowboy, and don't be afraid to use your spurs. From Greg: Don't do anything risky, this woman fences! From Warrick: Whatever you give her, she'll give you back ten times better. From Grissom: She'll surprise you.

""I'll tell you mine and you tell me yours," Brass said as he went on to read his text messages.

Iris complied with revealing hers and finished with an exasperated sigh. "I am not a goody two-shoes! I know how to be on a date! Crap, not really, it's been a real long time."

"Iris, are you having a good time with me?"

"Jim, this is the best date I've ever been on and, trust me, it's been longer than you think. I'd want your company any time Jim Brass because you're Jim Brass. Crud, I don't want to sound lame here."

"You're not being lame! I'm being encouraged to do the following and it's unanimous with Grissom, Nick, Greg and Warrick. I agree with them."

"Encouraged to do what?"

Brass's answer was nonverbal. He simply turned off the car and then took Iris in his arms and lightly brushed his lips to hers. She said Brass on a shaken breath before his lips took hers fully, finding them soft and pliant beneath his as the kiss deepened. How long their lip-lock lasted was neither could reckon but, needless to say, it was long enough for them both to have to come up for air at the same time.

"I knew it."

"Knew what, Iris?"

"That you were yummy."

"Heh, me?

"Yup, Brassalicious."

"I like that, so I'm Brassalicious?"

"Oh, yes, I could eat you alive I think."

"Good, get ready for another serving then."

Brass allowed a soft giggle against his lips from Iris before resuming their kiss. His tongue probed gently and then more insistently as the kiss became more involved. His access was not denied but welcomed as their open-mouthed kiss continued and Iris's own tongue became active. Jim found himself wanting to find a remote dark parking lot that would allow them privacy as well as more room in the back seat. He hadn't made out like this in years, now sliding a hand to rest on Iris's chest where he felt her heart beating rapidly. His hand now gently went to caress where the hollow of her neck was to her upper chest as he heard a whispered sigh from Iris. She stroked his face as his lips lazily trailed kisses down her cheek and neck.

"Want to go see the submarine races at Lake Mead?" Brass said between her own little smothery kisses.

"Oh my Lord, I haven't heard that line since high school!" Iris broke into helpless giggles.

"So you went to catch the races in high school?"

"No. This is the closest I've been. See, I was a friend to guys in high school but never a girlfriend. I really wanted to go to my junior-senior prom but no one asked me to go. Finally, I invited a friend of mine and he agreed. Two days before the prom he tells me he can't go, that he was grounded by his parents. I'm literally all dressed up with nowhere to go. I was crushed but I decided I'd just go on my own with my best friend and her boyfriend. It's 1976 in the brand-new Hyatt Regency in downtown Indianapolis and the prom's in full swing. Well, lo and behold he's there with another girl. I can do one of two things – pitch the best hissy fit Indy's ever seen or be better than the situation. I simply said hello and wished them a nice evening together. I spent the rest of the night prowling around the new Hyatt and watching a ballroom dance competition and that got me interested in doing it for myself years later."

"What about the guy that stood you up?"

"Lost contact with him after graduation."

"I wouldn't have stood you up, Iris."

"You would've been a 25-year-old college grad or in the Marines at the time. Would you have honestly considered taking a 17-year-old to her prom although the thought of you in a Marine dress uniform would melt my chocolate!"

"Absolutely, doll, because you're aces."

"In a way I wish I had known you before David before making a terrible mistake."

"Can't turn the clock back, babe, but we can make up for lost time."

"I think you have back seat fun in mind but can we go home, uh, I mean to my house instead?"

"Are you wanting to call it a night then?"

"Heavens, no, I think it'd just be more comfortable at home."

"Good because at every stoplight I am going to be kissing you like when we were teenagers!"

Brass was good on his word because at each stoplight he was taking no prisoners when it came to engaging Iris in a kiss, but they finally pulled into the drive way of her town home. Iris found herself a little sad that their evening was drawing to a close. He promptly got out of the car and went to open hers. Brass twined fingers with hers as they walked up to her front door. Iris fumbled a bit with the keys before getting the door open, feeling like a nervous girl on her first date which was the absolute truth.

"What were those songs we heard tonight at Gilley's? The ones we slow-danced to."

"The first was called "Making Memories of Us" by Keith Urban and the second was "You Shouldn't Kiss Me Like This" by Toby Keith."

"Do you have the second one?"

"You bet. Toby Keith's one of my favorite country artists."

"Put it on."

Iris complied and as she started the song, Brass came up behind her and folded his arms about her. He then turned her as they began to slow-dance in her living room. She was relaxed in his arms and he marveled at how she fit to him as if she'd always been there. Her fingers traced his lips as he kissed them. She nestled her head into his neck as her eyes closed. Slowly he guided them toward the couch where they sat but he winced at a sore muscle in his upper back that had been nagging him all evening.

"JB?"

"I'm okay, babe, just got a sore muscle in my back."

"I can fix that."

"Yeah, how?"

"Take off your shirt."

"Request or invitation?"

"You'll have to decide."

Brass removed his shirt as Iris left briefly and returned with a jar. He was wearing a sleeveless white muscle undershirt and Iris raised her eyes heavenward in appreciation. She had him sit on the floor in front of the couch while she sat behind him as her legs framed his torso while she took generous amounts of a salve-like material on her fingers from the jar. Jim straightened in surprise as Iris began to slowly massage the salve into his upper back with her fingertips as she kneaded away at the muscles and skin. The aroma from the salve was herbal and intoxicating to him as he gave in to the massage in progress.

"Iris?"

"Uh-huh."

"Where'd you learn…?"

"Nursing school! I was voted most likely to become a massage parlor owner." Iris replied with a low chuckle.

"When's your next night off?"

"Umm, I think Thursday."

"I'm going to shift my day off to then."

"What's special about next Thursday?"

"It's our next date."

"Oh."

"That is unless you don't want to go out with me again."

Brass suddenly yelped as Iris pinched him, causing him to reach around and pin her on the couch. He tickled her as a result and Iris nearly bucked him off the couch. Finding she was woefully ticklish purely by accident, Brass continued his attack and had Iris squealing and begging for mercy in minutes. He relented when she was nearly breathless as he kept her hands pinned above her but then let them go. She reciprocated by wrapping her arms around him to keep him close as they lay on the couch.

"So why'd you pinch me?"

"To make sure tonight's actually real and that I'm not dreaming it up."

"Well, aren't you supposed to pinch yourself?"

"Aw, sorry, JB, I do want a second date and many more after that! Next Thursday won't get here quick enough for me."

"Well, I better get going home myself. I wanted to tell you that I think you're doing a terrific job on the Thompson case. I wouldn't be surprised to see you get it all wrapped up sooner than you think."

"I couldn't do it without your help and insight."

"We make a good team."

"I agree…I wish you didn't have to go…who knew you had such a mushy side." Iris looked up at him impishly as he gave her a tender smile before kissing her forehead.

"Believe me, Iris, I want to stay tonight but I'm not going to put you in an awkward situation. I planned our first date, so you get to plan the second."

"It'll be dinner and a movie. I'm going to make your favorite dinner and we'll watch your favorite movie here. That'll be followed by intense cuddling and making out."

"Crap, I don't know if I can wait that long."

"Where there's a will there's a way."

Reluctantly, Iris walked with Jim to the front door. He started to open the door only to shut it as he pressed Iris against the door in a final long wet kiss. She gave in totally as her hand slipped inside his shirt to caress the hairy surface. This only caused Brass to hold her tighter as their kiss continued but finally he broke the kiss and looked down at her with a bit of a sad smile.

"Who knows someday I may just bring my jammies and toothbrush," Brass said wryly.

"I am getting such a visual of you in silk pajamas. You better go before I go into a hormonal overload," Iris chuckled.

"It was a good date, Iris, and the next will be better," Jim told her confidently as he went out the door, giving her a quick parting kiss as he did.

As she shut the door, Iris touched her lips which were still tingling from Brass's last kiss. Could someone fall in love on a first date she wondered before going to bed. Her dreams were very pleasant ones that night.


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

The next morning Iris headed into the lab to do more work on the Thompson case. She opened up the manila folder which had been marked confidential and found copies of life insurance policies, an updated last will and testament with funeral arrangements, as well as contact information for Jack Thompson's ex-wife and a Fed-Ex air bill receipt for something he had sent to her dated the same day he had died. Also in the stack of papers Iris found cryptic handwritten references such as "Phantom's vet to proceed as instructed" or "what are Vegas burial laws?" Her chin moved twice as she puzzled over the paperwork trying to make sense of it all.

Grissom had worked through the night and was getting ready leave as he walked by the break room and spied Iris. He stopped to see how she was doing with the case. "Iris, you look deep in thought."

Iris flashed Grissom a tired smile as she rubbed at her sore neck. "It's coming along, Griss. I know I'm close to getting something to break open here. Part of my investigation is hinging on receipt of the victim's medical records which is to be Monday. My spidey sense is saying it's going to help pull everything together."

Grissom smiled at the Spiderman reference. "I know you're on top of it, Iris, and you will follow the evidence to its conclusion. By the way, how did last night go?"

"It was the best date I've ever had. He wants to go out again Thursday night. Are you all going to check up on us again with text messages?"

"Everyone sided on the notion that you two were going to have a fun time together even though some are still surprised about it."

"I think we surprised each other a bit, not knowing for sure if there'd be chemistry or not."

"And was there?"

"I am pleading the fifth there, Griss."

"I'll take that as a veiled yes. Have a good weekend, Iris. I'm off till Monday night."

"You and Sara have plans?"

A cryptic smile was Grissom's reply as he left the break room. Iris had not been surprised to learn of Grissom and Sara's relationship. From her first day on as part of Grissom's team, she'd been aware that the couple shared something special.

Iris's next project was to tackle researching Jack Thompson's laptop computer to attempt checking for emails or documents as well as internet activity of site visits for anything pertinent to the case. She sighed at the volume of what she was going to have to sift through. Iris put on her headset to listen to a CD, cracked her knuckles and then her fingers began to dance across the keyboard in earnest. She smiled though in spite of herself as thoughts of Brass would help her pass the time.

Brass was enjoying the rest of the weekend at his lake cabin. He'd taken his 18-foot bass boat on Lake Mead to some of his favorite fishing spots and caught a few bass that he now brought back to the cabin to prepare. Jim fired up the stove and got some side items to have with the fish after he'd cleaned and deboned them. The stereo was tuned to a country station which Brass found he was starting to enjoy listening to after his first date with Iris. He found himself wishing he had invited her to come up with him, but she was on-call for the weekend and he knew she'd be at the lab working on the Thompson case. Sipping at a glass of whiskey, he checked on the fish frying in the skillet and thought again of things he had in common with Jack Thompson. Both older men, divorced, no immediate family, most of their time devoted to work, no one special to share their lives with. Maybe Iris was going to change all of that he wondered with a smile. He raised his glass and toasted her silently.

Monday morning came as Iris put her purse and backpack in her locker. Catherine breezed in as she made ready to head home to take Lindsey to school. "Iris, you never answered my text message Friday!"

"I wanted to keep you all guessing!"

"So, how'd it go? Did Brass strike out or hit a home run? I had the most interesting thoughts about you two!"

"Well, I will say he's still at-bat and we're having our second date Thursday."

Sara, Warrick and Nick arrived just in time to hear the last of Iris's conversation with Catherine. Greg was covering a day shift and also sauntered in to find out how the big date had gone.

"You all cracked JB up with the text messages to each of us."

"JB?" Warrick asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Well, you all call him Brass or Jim and I just combined the two initials."

"It's love!" Sara laughed.

"Yup, I hear wedding bells already," Nick agreed.

Iris rolled her eyes while letting out a groan before frostily saying, "Hardly. If you'll excuse me, I've got work to do." Before she left, she flashed a wink at Greg that showed she wasn't upset or irked by their comments.

Warrick, Nick and Greg could only erupt in laughter. Sara and Catherine could be heard giggling as well. There was nothing malicious implied and Iris didn't mind being the source of their amusement. She headed to the AV lab to get some assistance from Archie with the laptop computer as some files and email account that were password protected. She was going past Brass's office and saw him on the phone and waved. He pointed at her and crooked his finger for her to come in. She stepped in and waited for his call to end.

"Morning, JB, hope you had a good weekend."

"Yeah, I did. I went up to my lake cabin to do some fishing and relax a bit. Caught some decent bass and had a fish fry, but I know you'd have cooked them up better."

"I'm sure you did great, boy scout! I'm headed to the AV lab for some help with that laptop from Archie. If you get those medical records, call me on my cell and we'll go over them together if you're free."

"As soon as I know you'll know."

"See you later, then."

As Iris turned to leave, Brass said softly for her to hear alone, "Iris, I wish you had been with me at the cabin."

She turned back to him in surprise with eyes that went wide as one hand flew to cover her mouth. Before she could stop herself, she blurted, "I missed you too." Spinning on her heel, she retreated into the hallway to head on to the AV lab. Brass stood with hands on hips as he chuckled silently. How he liked to fluster her. It pleased him to also find out how they missed each other.

"Hi, Iris, let's take a crack at that laptop. I don't think it'll take very long. I've got some programs that should help open up the files you asked about." Archie told Iris as he took the laptop from her. She pulled up a chair by his workstation to watch him tackle the job at hand and liked to take the opportunity to watch others in action. In less than hour Archie had gotten the passwords to Jack Thompson's email account and a LiveJournal that he kept that read like a diary.

Iris's cell phone suddenly rang and showed Jim's number. "Hey, JB."

"Just got those medical records couriered over and if you want I can meet you with them so we can do that review you requested."

"Sounds like a plan!"

Brass met her in the break room and they quickly set up the laptop and opened a large envelope containing the medical records. Iris fixed Jim a large black coffee and got herself a bottled water before she sat next to him. She also had a large legal pad to take notes with. Leafing through the medical records, Iris let out a low whistle as Brass gave her an interested look.

"What'd you find Dr. King?"

"Wow-whoa-whew, JB, this guy was really ill. He had glioblastoma multiforme, a type of brain cancer. He'd been treated with radiation therapy and chemotherapy and surgery for the tumors, but they were coming back aggressively and he was just on palliative therapy. They couldn't do any more for him and he was terminal. He had less than two months according to his oncologist's chart notes."

Brass was going over the laptop computer while Iris reviewed the medical records. "Iris, he kept a LiveJournal diary going just like you said. Listen to this but I'm skimming over several entries. I can't drive anymore because of the chance I'll have a seizure. I have to walk or take a bus or taxi to get around. I've lost all my hair and eyebrows, had a wig made of my last head of decent hair and matching eyebrows that I can paste on. The school still doesn't know about my illness, so using my sick/vacation time continues. On a good day I can go without throwing up since my last chemo treatment but I feel so weak. I fight depression daily and come home to no one. Who'd want to share this kind of life? The ex-wife only calls when she needs something, never to see how I am. Phantom is my only friend…a dog…doesn't that sound pathetic? Music helps keep me grounded though and I still like to tutor the kids."

Iris's heart went out in sympathy to Jack Thompson as Jim continued.

"The doctors have done all they can do. I'm tired. I don't want to fight this anymore. I'm sick to death, literally, of the medications and the appointments and being told to hang in there. There comes a time for each of us. I'm not going to wait until I'm comatose in a hospital bed somewhere with strangers caring for someone they don't know. No one will mourn my going but who would take care of Phantom? I've decided what to do now and it gives me peace and purpose. I've emailed the ex-wife and researched Nevada law. My affairs are in order. Today's the day. Phantom and I are going on a long walk…our last walk. I pray the ex-wife will take care of what I've entrusted to her. There's no one else. If there was I wouldn't be doing this."

"My Lord, Jim, he was planning to commit suicide!"

"Did Archie get the email passwords?"

"Yes, it's musicman2007 and harmony."

Brass tapped away at the laptop keyboard and clicked the mouse a few times. Iris moved closer to look at the monitor screen with him. Several recent emails showed up, mostly from EBay of instruments Jack Thompson was tracking. The last one was to Jack's ex-wife whose name, ironically to Brass, was Nancy. The message was simple: Sending you a Fed-Ex package. Please follow the directions to the letter. Don't worry about anything. I've left you as the beneficiary. Jack.

"I can relate to this guy on a lot of levels, Iris," Brass mused with a sigh.

"What do you mean?" Iris questioned with a curious expression.

"I'm in my mid-fifties, divorced, not seeing anyone, uh, I mean steadily, got an estranged daughter, work takes up most of my time. When I got shot last year I kind of thought who'd miss me or worry about me or who cared seriously about me." Brass observed as he continued to look at the email.

"Jim, you have a lot of friends who care about you. You told me about the whole team coming to see you at the hospital and even Ellie being there too. They care a lot and you know it." Iris was emphatic.

"You're right. I just empathize with this guy. I don't condone what he did but I can understand his state of mind."

"You wouldn't face it alone, Jim, like he had to. I think part of the reason he gave up was because he didn't have someone who supported him and cared especially for him."

"Yeah, I agree with you."

"Have you heard from his ex-wife at all? I would've thought by now she'd be calling or at least come here in person as she only just lives over in Boulder City."

"I called her Friday morning but never heard back from her. Let me try again."

Iris continued to look over Jack's LiveJournal entries while Brass attempted to call Nancy again. The entries gave much insight into Jack's state of mind in the days leading up to his apparent planned suicide. She saw Jim's eyes narrow as he began a phone conversation.

"Nancy Thompson? This is Detective Jim Brass of the LVPD and I'm calling you again in regard to your ex-husband Jack Thompson. Did you receive a Fed-Ex package from Mr. Thompson last Tuesday evening? Have you opened it? I see. Were you aware that he was killed in a traffic accident the same day? You weren't. You thought it was a joke? Ma'am, your ex-husband is lying in the morgue. I would advise you to go through the paperwork he sent you and act on the instructions he's entrusted you with. Your dog Phantom is also at Animal Control for you to come after. Oh, Phantom was only Jack's and not your dog so you don't want it." Brass ended the call with giving his contact phone number to her when she arrived at the LVPD to get Jack's personal effects.

"She sounded cooperative," Iris observed dryly.

"That woman could care less that her ex-husband is dead and the only person he felt he could trust to see to his funeral arrangements doesn't give a flip. Besides that, she wants Phantom put down." Brass was sarcastic and angry at Nancy's indifference about her deceased ex-husband as well as the dog waiting for someone at Animal Control.

"Doc" Al Robbins was walking by the break room and upon seeing Iris and Brass stepped in to say hello. He went on to ask Iris if next of kin had been found for Jack Thompson as they needed room in the morgue. Brass took it upon himself to update "Doc" on the fact they had just been in contact with Jack's ex-wife who would be contacting an area funeral home to make arrangements. Jim went on to tell him their theory of what had lead up to Jack's being hit by the minivan.

"Suicide? He went to some lengths then and wanted his dog to die at the same time. Why not just go home and quietly overdose? He must have wanted to take an absolute sure way out and stepping in front of a speeding vehicle would do the trick. It's not like he'd have the luxury to reconsider." Shaking his head, "Doc" headed out of the break room.

"Well, it looks like this case may be closed. Good work, Iris. I think Gil will be pleased with your investigation."

"Thanks, JB, so I guess I'll see you back here tonight. I'm going to call Grissom next and update him on where things are at."

"Sounds good and I'm headed back to my office to finalize my part of the case paperwork."

"Oh, Jim?"

"Yeah."

"About Thursday night…I need your fantasy dinner and movie choice."

"Steak, loaded baked potato, corn on the cob, rolls for dinner. Make the movie "Goodfellas" 'cause I like mob movies."

"What's for dessert?"

"How about you in the buff with whipped cream and chocolate syrup? Mmm, mmm, good."

"Oh me, oh my." Iris's face was scarlet she knew as she rolled her eyes and shook her head.

"Here, I'll return the laptop and medical records packet to Evidence for you as it's on my way. I'll call you later." Brass said as they both stood up to go. Iris took the moment to gently clasp hands with him as she gave him a shy smile.

Grissom had a rare Monday off and was at home watching a movie with Sara when Iris called.

"Hey, Iris, what's up?" Sara asked as she answered Grissom's phone as he was in the kitchen getting something to drink.

"I've got some news for Grissom about the Thompson case I've been working up with Brass's help."

"Griss told me you two are going out again Thursday. You go, girl! Keep that teddy bear happy."

"Teddy bear, eh? I'll do my best," Iris chuckled.

"Have fun! Here's Griss." Sara handed Grissom his phone and stuck her tongue out him while Grissom smirked back at her.

"Bring me up to speed, Iris."

"We had a lot happen today, Griss. Jack Thompson was ill with terminal brain cancer. We have evidence from his laptop computer that he was planning suicide. Doc Robbins had routine analysis done of Jack's blood that showed clinical evidence of effects of chemotherapy and radiation therapy as well as immunosuppression. On the day he was planning to be hit by a car, Jack sent a Fed-Ex package of his will with funeral arrangements, life insurance policy, and power of attorney to his ex-wife to be executor of his estate. Jack was battling depression and was despondent over his failing health. He wanted to insure that his method of dying would be quick not only for him but for his dog. He wanted the dog to be cremated with him and their ashes scattered together. Tara Peterson still has legal charges pending but at least she can know that Jack Thompson's death was not an accident." Iris summarized.

"You did a thorough pursuit of the evidence to its conclusion. Jim has had nothing but good things to say about your investigation skills. You can count on going out solo again."

"Thanks, Griss, I appreciate your confidence and it means a lot."

Later that afternoon, Iris was taking a long hot bath and found her thoughts once again of Brass and their upcoming second date. Her cell phone started ringing and it was a ring tone she had set for Brass's number. Hopping out of the tub, she grabbed the phone to answer the call.

"This is Iris."

"What are you wearing?"

"Right now just a smile. You caught me in the middle of a nice long bath." She heard grumbling just then coming from Brass and honking in the background.

"Dang it! That's not fair, Iris! I just about drove off the road!"

Iris could only giggle helplessly at the visual she got of Brass driving right then.

"You want to meet me for dinner on your way into work later this evening?"

"Sure, anywhere in particular?"

"How about P.F. Chang's for some quick takeout?"

"Ah so, Chinese, I'm in!"


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter Eight

The next three days passed uneventfully for Iris and it was now late Thursday afternoon. Iris was going like a whirling dervish about the kitchen as her dinner preparation was in full swing. She had two steaks with baked potatoes and corn on the cob going on the grill on her patio. Chocolate brownies were baking in the oven as she had told Brass that his initial dessert request would have to remain a fantasy for now. The "Goodfellas" movie she'd gotten from Blockbuster earlier in the day. Everything was nearly ready when her doorbell rang at 6:30 p.m. She wiped her hands on her apron as she headed to open the door.

"Evening, foxy, how's tricks? Wow, dinner smells great!" Brass exclaimed as he stepped in through the door to give her a quick kiss and hug her briefly. He'd brought along a bottle of wine as well as a bottle of his favorite whiskey.

Jim followed Iris into the kitchen and placed the wine and whiskey on the counter. She went out to check on the steaks, potatoes and corn while he made himself at home. He brought out a meat platter for her to put the steaks on, telling her he wanted to help get their dinner going. She then shooed him out of the kitchen to her breakfast nook where he gladly took a seat. The chance to have a good home-cooked meal happened for him rarely. After Iris had everything set up, he quickly violated the steak, raising his eyes appreciatively heavenward.

Later on, as Iris cleared the table with Jim's help, he went on to say, "Iris, that's the best steak I've ever had, the baked potato was perfect, the corn on the cob was delicious, and the brownies off the chart. Gilley's has nothing on you!"

"Aw, that's sweet of you say! I love to cook and it was a treat to do it for another person. It's hard cooking for just one."

"Well, you're hired as my personal chef!"

"Anytime then whether it's your place or mine."

"How soon before your next night off?"

"Sunday but I'm on-call for Grissom."

"No matter, you're coming over to my place for dinner and then we'll go out to a movie."

"Am I cooking?"

"If you don't mind and whatever dinner you want to make."

"Splendiferous! My favorite dinner is like the Tour of Italy that Olive Garden makes. We will have lasagna, chicken parmesan, fettuccini Alfredo and salad."

"What's 'splendiferous' mean?"

"Oh, that's one of my expressions and the word means splendid, wonderful, etc."

"I can say without reservation that I am going to be looking forward to that dinner as well as our third date."

"Me too! Okay, we are adjourning to the living room to play drive-in movie."

"How's that?"

"When we were kids my mother would have us pretend we were at the drive-in movie. We had a pull out sleeper sofa and somehow it held all five of us kids when we were little. We'd watch the movie until we fell asleep."

"So how do you plan for that to be for us?"

"My big old comfy couch is a sleeper! I'm going to pull out the bed part…"

"I like this already!"

"Whoa, lover boy, we are simply going to stretch out and be comfortable to watch your mob movie."

"Heh, we'll see."

"Whatever…"

Brass gave her a leering grin as he helped her pull out the sleeper bed from the couch which he was happy to see had a thick mattress and then he went to make microwave popcorn while Iris fixed the bed up for them to movie watch. He came back and positioned the bowl of popcorn between them as Iris started the DVD and got snuggled against Jim. As the movie progressed, he saw her looking at him and then the TV and then at him again with an amused look.

"What's up? Why are you looking at me like that?"

"You look a little like Joe Pesci."

"No, I don't!"

"Well, I said a little but you're ever so much handsomer."

"Thanks…I think."

Brass suddenly found himself hit in the face with a piece of popcorn while Iris looked innocently the other way. She was then hit by a handful of popcorn as a popcorn fight ensued. Taking no prisoners, Brass pinned Iris and initiated a tickle fight to which he was thankfully immune and only added to Iris's squeals as she struggled to get herself out of the predicament.

"Truce…you win!" Iris gasped hoarsely.

"Truce. It's good to be the king." Brass said smugly.

"Why you pompous…" Iris never got to finish her retort as Jim smothered her protests under a hot kiss, covering her body fully with his own as the kiss intensified.

After several delicious moments, Jim looked down at her, a victorious look on his face as Iris glared back. He still had her pinned and threatened her with another barrage of tickling if she didn't cooperate. She didn't move a muscle and merely shut her eyes and made no reply.

"Iris?"

Iris remained as still as a statue and just as mute.

"Come on, Iris, you're not ticked about being tickled are you?

Iris opened her eyes fractionally and frowned at him.

"No, it's just you're always going win the tickle game to which I have no defense."

"I promise to use it only as a last resort," Brass told her, as he rose up on one elbow to look down at her.

"Okay," Iris agreed cautiously.

"You're nothing like my ex-wife but sort of like Annie, you know." Jim said suddenly.

Iris sat up to sit cross-legged as she regarded him with a somewhat puzzled look. "I know you had a rocky marriage with Nancy and that during that time you and Annie had a relationship, but your marriage ended and Annie eventually moved to Los Angeles and you came here. Annie helped you out with a case involving Ellie a few years ago. So, tell me this, how come you and Annie didn't get back together or you never got involved with Catherine or Sofia?"

"Whoa, where'd this all come from?" It was Brass's turn to be surprised.

"It just seems that you would've been involved with someone or dating around. To me, you're a catch waiting to happen. I can safely say that if I'd been married to you during your Jersey days that we would've made it through." Iris replied softly with a bit of a guarded look.

"Well, it's not like I have a harem!" Jim laughed before adding. "Look, to be honest after my divorce I wasn't keen at all on dating. I'm close with Catherine but we're good friends and nothing more. I also consider myself to be fond of Sofia but its kept professional. Annie and I keep in touch. I'm fond of her and always will be, but she's solid in LA and I'm equally set here in Vegas."

Jim snuggled Iris back in his arms, wanting to reassure her that she was who he wanted to be with followed by a gentle kiss on her forehead. Each of their cell phones then began to vibrate. Brass muttered under his breath and then said it had better not be him being called in on a case. Iris got up to get her phone as well and returned to the fold-out bed.

Jim started going through his messages as well and began to laugh harder and harder. Iris scrolled through hers with eyes that got wider and wider.

"Our chaperones again, eh?" Brass chuckled.

"Read yours and I'll read mine," Iris requested with a giggle.

Brass complied and read his off: "Catherine asks if we're twisting the sheets yet and I messaged her back saying I was working on it. Sofia says Iris will be finding out just how cuddly I can be. Sara insists that I take no prisoners in the loving department."

Poor Iris was a bright pink as she read off her messages: "Grissom wants to know if I'm engaged yet. Nick said he's available if I'm getting bored and want a real man for a cowboy ride. Warrick has offered to take me to Fiji on a secret romantic getaway. Greg believes that if you're serious about me you'll get another tattoo?"

Brass had an inscrutable look just then.

"Are they trying to tell us something?" Iris mused with a hand curled under chin as she absently drummed her fingers on the sheet.

"Let's give them something to talk about." Brass replied simply as he initiated the most intense make-out session Iris had ever been in, taking her by surprise in the process but finding she answered the challenge rather well.

Later on, the movie had finally ended as Iris acknowledged it as a good crime drama albeit violent movie. Brass still couldn't believe Iris had never seen it all the way through with her being such a cinema fan. They lay together continuing to cuddle as Iris stifled a yawn.

"Iris, I think it's time for me to go as we're both getting sleepy here," Brass told her coaxingly.

"Just a little while longer…," Iris wrapped her arms tighter around him and he found he couldn't resist her.

Sunlight filtered through the blinds of the living room window causing to Brass open his eyes as he woke up first the next morning. It took him a moment to realize that he wasn't home and asleep in his own bed. He found himself lying on his back with Iris curled up against him. Her arm was draped possessively over his chest while his other arm cradled her close. Her head rested on the crook his shoulder with her face buried into his neck. He grinned as he listened to her soft snoring. In amazement he realized he liked to watch her sleep and how quickly he was becoming comfortable with her. For fun he tickled at her tilted up nose as it wrinkled in her sleep. He knew they had to get up now as he gently brushed her bangs back and kissed her forehead. Slowly, he jostled her shoulder as he murmured into her ear.

"Iris?"

"Mmmph," Iris grunted in her sleep.

"Iris King…time to wake up, sleepy head."

"Not Iris King….Iris Brass," Iris mumbled in her sleep.

Brass looked at her in wide-eyed astonishment yet again as he said louder this time, "Third time's a charm, come on, sleeping beauty!"

Iris gave a lazy yawn and stretched against Brass before her eyes flew open and she sat up wide awake now as the words tumbled forth. "OMIGOSH! We fell asleep! You woke up first? I'm so sorry! I'm usually a light sleeper! I hope I didn't talk in my sleep or say anything ridiculous!"

"You didn't say anything…incriminating," Brass promised as he drew out the last word and caused Iris to look even more panic-stricken.

"You stayed?" Iris sounded surprised.

"You asked me to so I did," Jim said and then added. "You snore by the way but it's cute."

"I do?" Iris was surprised.

"Yes, you do. Can I use your shower right quick? I always keep a change of clothes with a cleanup kit in my car," Brass requested.

"Sure. I need to do the same myself. That's a good idea about keeping extra clothes on hand. The least I can do is make you breakfast if you have time," Iris smiled.

Soon thereafter Brass sat at the table as Iris brought their breakfast out – scrambled eggs, bacon, toast, and pancakes. Jim sipped at the hot coffee before he began to eat. After taking a bite of the bacon and eggs, he looked at her appreciatively with an expression bordering on rapture. Iris gave him a brilliant smile with full dimples as she dove into the breakfast as well.

"Iris, I gotta tell you the story of what got me to get into the habit of keeping extra clothes on hand. It was probably two years ago and I was covering a night case as lead detective. Some bozo had decided to off himself by setting himself on fire and then taking a dive off a bridge to land on railroad tracks where he got splattered by an oncoming train. Talk about covering your bases. Anyway, I was trying to help Nick sweep the scene looking for any missing remains and I tripped on a railroad tie and landed in this goo that was part of the victim. It was the worst mess. I had to drive back to the lab where I kept clothes and so I could shower too. Ever since I've made it a practice to keep clothes and a cleanup kit in the car at all times. You just never know." Brass finished up his repast with orange juice and another piece of toast.

"That's a practice I'm adopting right away, wow, some story!" Iris declared as she got up to clear the table, Jim doing the same to help out.

"You're spoiling me, you know," Brass told her as she loaded the dishwasher.

"Is that okay? That is unless you have someone else you'd prefer to do so," Iris said offhandedly.

"Well, no one has done a better job and date number three will be fast approaching as in when?"

"I have the weekend off next week according to Grissom."

"Great, I can rearrange my schedule for Saturday and Sunday."

"Rank has its privileges."

"You betcha."

Reluctantly, Iris walked Jim out to his car as he made ready to head home. They would see each other later in the evening when they reported for graveyard shift.

She gave him a parting hug that he happily received.

"Jim, I'm going to stop by to check on Phantom. He's only got a few days left. I'd sure adopt him but with me already having Cyrano and Durante I'm at my limit of two dogs with the HOA."

"He'll find a home, Iris, don't fret about it. Good dogs like him don't stay until the last minute."

"I'm sure you're right, so see you tonight."

"Bye, Iris, thanks for a great breakfast and a fun drive-in movie night that I want to have again in the near future." Brass gave her a last lingering kiss before getting in his car.

As Jim left the driveway, Iris gave him a wave before she headed into her home.

Crap, she thought to herself, she was missing him already and he'd only been gone a few minutes. She was fighting feelings she hadn't felt in forever it seemed. Iris groaned out loud and refocused herself to go do errands and take a late afternoon/early evening nap before leaving for work.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter Nine

That night, Iris was getting ribbed right and left from her teammates in the break room prior to the handing out of assignments from Grissom. The room kept erupting in laughter as Iris maintained her dignity even as she was providing her cohorts with much levity about how the second date had gone. She had left out the fact about Jim and her accidentally falling asleep…until Brass happened to walk by on his way to answer a crime scene call and poke his head in.

"Hey, Iris, did you tell everyone that you snore?"

Iris held her face in one hand as Brass went his way. She'd never live this down.

Catherine took the ball first to run with, asking with a smirk and raised eyebrow. "How is it Brass knows you snore?"

Sara echoed the thought with her signature gap-toothed smile as she playfully punched her friend on the arm. "Did he spend the night as in _ALL _night?"

Warrick gave one of his wide grins as he weighed in to say, "Heck, Iris, you fly little thing you. No wonder the Brass man is smiling so much!"

Nick also had to put his two cents in as he smiled ear-to-ear before adding, "Remember, Iris, if you want a real cowboy time, you know where to find me!"

Greg patted Iris on the shoulder gently before he chimed in, "I'm sure Iris has a good explanation for Brass's comment or I can help with some advice from Mama Olaf."

Now even Grissom took the chance to add to the roundtable on the topic at hand.

"Iris, I have the utmost confidence that whatever transpired the night before you will share what you feel is pertinent."

Iris met their inquisitive expressions head-on. "There's nothing to tell! We were watching "Goodfellas" and had the sleeper bed in my couch pulled out."

There was a chorus of oohs and ahs from her teammates.

"Oh, brother, like I was trying to say, it was all very innocent! We were watching the movie and just fell asleep after it ended. We woke up the next morning. I made him breakfast and he went home. That's it, end of story!" Iris exclaimed, doing her best to keep a straight face.

"Wow, that's romantic, and he got a homemade breakfast. I never got that lucky!" Nick sighed as he batted his eyelashes at Iris.

"Okay, Friday night I'm making breakfast for everyone so let me know what you like," Iris threw up her hands in a gesture of surrender with a wink.

"Here we go with assignments," Grissom asserted as he took charge now.

Friday night came quickly as Brass headed into the LVPD/CSI building from the parking garage. He ran into Nick on the way in. Jim hadn't seen much of Iris the last few days. He'd been covering days while she'd been on nights working a case with Nick.

"Your girl's making us dinner tonight and I haven't had anything to eat all," Nick remarked as he rubbed his hands together in anticipation.

"My girl?" Brass glanced at Nick with a raised eyebrow.

"Isn't she? Well, I guess I spoke out of turn. Sorry, Brass man, you've only been out twice with Iris. I just figured you wouldn't let her get away."

"We're just dating, Nick, so I'd hold off on wedding invitations."

"Meant no offense there, Brass, it's just I could see you two together."

"Well, I'm glad you approve."

"No problem! Hey, come on and join us for dinner which is breakfast."

Brass found the entire team had come in for Iris's meal and he couldn't blame them. He appreciatively inhaled the varied smells of bacon, sausage, ham, scrambled eggs, hash browns, toast and pancakes, as well as tofu sausage for Sara's vegetarian benefit. There was more than enough to go around as people from outside the CSI team stopped by to grab a plate.

Iris was at the break room sink washing her hands off quickly when Jim sidled up to her. He ran a finger down her arm as he felt her shiver, causing a slight smile to tug at his lips. Taking a moment, he whispered into her ear as what he said caused a bright pink to color her cheeks regarding their upcoming third date. Sara saw them and flashed Iris a secretive smile. The team then got ready for their meeting of assignments to be handed out or updates on ongoing cases.

After Iris got home the next morning, she was ready to have a full weekend off and only knew that Brass wanted her at his place Sunday afternoon after she'd gone to church. She headed to the grocery store after walking the dogs to pick up what she needed for her version of the Olive Garden Tour of Italy which was one of her top meals. On impulse, she also stopped by animal control to check on Phantom. The animal control officer was pleased to tell her that Phantom had been adopted. Iris was thrilled to hear that and knew that someone had gotten a wonderful companion. Her spirits were immediately lifted upon hearing this.

Sunday afternoon Jim Brass was working hard to make sure his house was ready for Iris's visit. He always kept his home orderly but took special pains this time. It was three o'clock when his doorbell rang and he answered it to find Iris struggling to hold the grocery bags she carried. He moved quickly to relieve her of part of the sacks as they made their way into the kitchen.

After setting down the bags, Jim took Iris by the hand. "Come on, time for the grand tour."

Jim's home had been built in the late '50's to early 60's. It was a traditional 3-bedroom, 2-bathroom, 2-car garage. He showed Iris his punching bag set up in the garage where he liked to box as part of his working out. He paused in the den for a moment to show her pictures of Ellie and one of him with Annie Kramer that he had. As they walked out into the backyard, there was a below-ground swimming pool, a small koi pond was in one corner with a running natural stone waterfall, and the landscaping was exquisite. Tall trees surrounded the fence line to provide privacy and minimize noise from the street or neighbors. Iris walked over to the koi pond to look over it admiringly as Brass came beside her.

"So what do you think of the place?"

"Jim, I love it! Who'd've known that you had a pool and a koi pond? The landscaping is gorgeous. The fact that you're home's older isn't a negative at all. I'm a big fan of older architecture and your place is very cozy. I didn't know you boxed!"

"I moved in here after I came to Vegas several years ago. I had the pool and pond put in after the fact. You and I could go skinny-dipping later this evening. I'll even teach you some boxing basics after dinner," Brass laughed as he suddenly hugged her close.

"Uh, skinny-dipping and boxing all in one night? Wow, you know how to show a girl a good time!" Iris giggled at his comment and continued. "I also love the screened-in patio you have. You might consider putting a little table for two there to eat out at. That would be an awesome spot to watch it storm…oops, my mouth got ahead of me."

"Watch a storm?" Brass was intrigued.

"I've always loved to watch a thunderstorm since I was a kid. The sounds, smells and images of thunder, lightning and rain. I'd sit in my grandma's rocker and just watch. I know that sounds off the track." Iris mused.

"No more than me taking in a strip show…" Brass replied before quickly adding. "Sorry, Iris, I didn't mean for that to pop out but it's something I've done here and there."

"No offense, Jim, we're just finding out a little more about other. Hey, I didn't tell you Phantom got adopted," Iris replied lightly as she headed back inside with Jim following.

"See, I told you Phantom would get a good home." Brass reminded her.

Iris got busy in Jim's kitchen and before long the smells made him think he was at Olive Garden. He rarely cooked as it was and preferred to eat out due to the fact that his cooking skills were poor at best. Brass watched her in action and saw that she genuinely loved to cook.

"You remember the first time you cooked for me?" Brass questioned with a smile.

"Umm, the steak dinner on our second date?" Iris replied after thinking a moment.

"Nope, it was your first day here and you brought beef stew and decided to share it with me. I never forgot that." Brass recalled smiling at the memory.

"Dinner's almost ready but I need to use the little room," Iris said as she wiped her hands on her apron.

"Oh, yeah, use the master bathroom and I'll keep an eye on dinner!" Jim pointed down the hall.

Iris headed out of the kitchen and Jim heard the bathroom door shut. He then smacked his hand on the top of his head as he remembered that some reading material he hadn't meant for Iris to see was still in his bathroom. He'd forgotten in his rush to have all in order before she came to put his Victoria's Secret catalogues away. Brass groaned inwardly.

In Brass's bathroom, Iris washed her hands and gave another amused glance at the magazine rack near the commode. There were fishing magazines and Victoria's Secret magazines or catalogues. Brass showed a preference for the long and lithe women gracing the pages modeling the different lingerie styles. She looked at herself in the mirror and then at the women in the catalogue with a sigh as she thought no way.

"You ready to eat dinner?" Iris asked briskly as she came out of Jim's bathroom.

"I've been waiting all day, sugar!" Brass declared as he took a seat at his table with an expectant look.

Iris quickly served up their dinners and took a seat opposite Brass. Her conflicted feelings she concealed well. Jim gave her a wink as he started to eat and gave her an "mmm mmm good" look along with a thumbs-up. A ghost of a smile flitted across Iris's lips as she continued to eat in silence.

"Heaven above, Iris, that was totally delicious!" Brass proclaimed with a small belch as he finished eating.

"Glad you enjoyed it," Iris said blandly.

"As soon as we're done with the dishes, let's head out to the garage and I'll show you some boxing moves like I promised," Brass said.

"Sounds like a plan to me," Iris agreed.

A little later in the garage, Brass was putting a pair of boxing gloves on Iris and then a pair on himself. He began to demonstrate how to use the various punches as well as how the feet movements were coordinated while he used the punching bag hanging from the ceiling. Jim then took a playful punch at Iris as they sparred back and forth.

"Okay, now you take a swing at me and put all you got into it!" Brass instructed.

"But I could hit you too hard!" Iris protested.

"Nah, I can take it! Come on, give it a go, Iris, you can do it!" Brass urged.

"Okay, here goes nothing." Iris threw a hard left cross that caught Jim on the chin and he went down like a sack of potatoes. He was stunned for a few moments before rubbing his chin gingerly. Jim gave her a surprised look.

"Jim!" Iris cried out as she went to help him up after pulling off the boxing gloves.

Brass instead pulled her down to him and promptly threw off his own gloves as he said, "Gotcha!" He then proceeded to tickle Iris unmercifully as she squealed and squirmed beneath him. To his surprise she got miffed and promptly popped him in the solar plexus and knocked the breath out of him. She stood up with a defiant expression with hands on hips.

"Serves you right, studly!" Iris said with her chin tilted saucily.

"I am so going to get you," Brass wheezed as he rose to one knee.

"You'll have to catch me first," Iris responded with a challenging tone as she turned and sprinted out of the garage.

Brass was hot on her heels as she fled through the house and into the backyard. He had her trapped and knew it. Iris turned knowing she had no where to go as Brass began to slowly approach.

"You are about to be tickled to within an inch of your life!" Brass declared as he made tickling motions with outstretched hands.

"You and who else," Iris challenged as she slowly backed away.

"Iris…," Brass tried to warn her but it was too late.

Iris had backed to the edge of the pool without seeing it. Her shocked look as she fell backward was priceless Brass had to admit. A large splash was heard as Iris hit the water and then flailed about. Her spluttering told Brass she was in the deep end of the pool. He couldn't help it and began to laugh harder and harder. Her glare was scathing as she bobbed in the water and pushed her glasses up on her forehead.

"Gee, Iris, sorry about that! Go to the shallow end and I'll help you get out." Brass finally said apologetically while Iris complied and swam slowly to the other end of the pool.

Jim hurried to the shallow end and leaned down to extend a hand to Iris by the pool ladder. She grasped it and then with all her strength pulled Brass into the pool with her. He came up spitting water and saying some choice words only to find himself wrapped up in Iris's arms.

"Turnabout's fair play, so gotcha back!" Iris snickered before Jim shut her up and good with a fierce kiss with his own arms snaking around Iris in a rock-hard embrace. They parted long enough to give one another a searching look. Iris pounced just then to seize his earlobe gently between her teeth as she began a slow and steady suction that was causing a visceral response from Brass and one that was going to be hard to control. She moved on to his neck and inexorably on to his chest where the hollow of his throat was as she heard his soft moans. He had to control his aroused state and now.

"Looks like this is the closest we'll be to skinny dipping tonight. You got me but good, Iris. It's chilly out here and we need to get out of these wet things. Let's get inside," Brass ordered as they got out of the pool.

"I haven't got a change of clothes with me!" Iris realized with a low groan of her own.

"They'll dry fine. We each need to go shower but you can wear my robe in the meantime," Brass decided as they headed inside his house.

While Iris went to the hall bathroom, Jim went to his room to strip out of his wet clothes and put a dry T-shirt and boxers. He then grabbed his robe to take to Iris. Jim discretely knocked at the hall bathroom door and waited.

"Brass, don't you dare peek! My clothes are wrapped up in a towel. One look at my birthday suit would send you heading for the hills never to be seen again!" Iris said self- depreciatively, which caused Jim to crack up yet again.

The bathroom door opened just enough for the exchange to take place. As Brass accepted the towel and wet clothes, Iris grabbed the robe and voiced her thanks as the door rapidly shut. Jim was sorely tempted to peek just the same as natural curiosity battled with his silent promise to Iris not to do so. He then took the clothes to his utility room to pop in the dryer.

Back in the hallway bathroom, Iris wrapped herself in Brass's terrycloth robe as she got the shower water going. She could smell the scent of the cologne he used as well as his own natural muskiness and inhaled the combined aromas deeply. Her internal response surprised her as hormones and emotions took hold. The water was hot enough now and she slid out of the robe to step into the tub. As the water ran over her, Iris quickly shampooed her hair and rinsed it. Taking her time, she luxuriated in the creamy soap as she washed and began to have even more intense thoughts of Brass. She sighed in frustration knowing he was only a few feet away and the intimacy she craved to have with him. The only thing she could do was give in to the thoughts that were becoming increasingly intimate.

As Jim was putting the clothes in the dryer, he stopped at her shirt as he could faintly smell the citrus/spice perfume Iris wore. It was unavoidable now the intensifying internal and physical response being generated. It's going to be a long night he thought as he finished putting the clothes in the dryer and headed on to his bathroom. He stopped briefly at the hallway bathroom as he heard the water going in the shower, longing to join the occupant within for a shower neither would ever forget.

Brass went into his own bathroom and got into his stand-up shower after the water temperature was just to his liking. His "general" was still at full attention even after being in a cold pool. It had been difficult to keep a normal gait as he and Iris had come into his house. He had fought his desire to just seize Iris and carry her to his bed, soaking wet or not. As the hot water cascaded over him and the air became steamy, Brass envisioned Iris there with him as her hands began to roam freely, touching, caressing, applying the soapy soft sponge in slow movements all over him, paying special attention to his "general". The fantasy was in full swing with Brass getting a handle on his business when he lost his footing at a critical moment, sliding to the shower floor with a thud as he let out a loud oath.

Iris had been done with her shower and was headed to Jim's bedroom when she heard him fall. Concerned for his safety, she rushed to the door and knocked insistently before cracking open the door and seeing the steam waft out. "Jim, are you okay? I thought I heard you fall!"

It took Brass a few moments to get things under control before he could answer her in a strained voice, "Yeah, I'm fine, I'll be out shortly."

When Jim came out a little later on wearing fresh boxers and his white muscle T-shirt, Iris was sitting cross-legged on the bed in his robe. She applauded his attire and gave a little wolf whistle for emphasis before patting the bed.

"You look good in my robe. I just wish I could see the package without the wrapping," Brass wisecracked with a smile as he stretched out beside her.

Iris gave him a slightly startled look as she wondered how to have a moment of clarity with him about her shower thoughts.

"Hey, I have something else you could wear instead of the robe if you want until your clothes are dry."

"Such as?"

"Here, I'll get it for you."

Brass got up and went to his closet before returning with a small gift bag that he then handed to her. It said "Victoria's Secret." Iris gave him a surprised look as she accepted it.

"Jim, I'm not a Victoria's Secret girl. I definitely don't have the looks or figure like those models do. Catherine, Sara or Sofia might but not this Hoosier girl."

"Those models don't hold a candle to you, babe. I have to hand it to you, Iris, about not making a comment about my choice of bathroom reading material. I was going to toss that stuff out."

"Why would you do that?"

"I like your looks better. You're real. You're here. You care."

Iris colored a soft rose pink as she opened the gift bag and brought out a deep lavender teddy nightgown set with matching robe. The material was a luscious feeling silk. "Jim, it's beautiful but how do you know…"

"Iris, you'll be beautiful to me in it. I got it after our first date, picked it without a moment's hesitation. I'm not trying to embarrass you but I would love to see you in it."

Brass then moved to slip his robe off of Iris's shoulder, trailing soft kisses from her ear to her shoulder as he did so along with little love bites. She shivered under the touch of his lips and he found this pleasing as well.

"Jim?"

"Mmm."

"I have a confession to make. When I was taking my shower, I had a fantasy about you and it was a pretty hot one. I nearly needed to take a cold shower instead." Iris was being honest but she was embarrassed at same time.

"Really, well, I have to equally candid that during mine I was having rather naughty shower thoughts about you too," Brass said against her skin.

"Me?" Iris was incredulous.

"Yeah, because when you knocked at the door and opened it, it was all I could do not to pull you into the shower with me! Why are you smiling so big?" Jim questioned as he looked at her.

"Because I don't think I've ever been thought of in that way before."

"David never did?"

"No. He'd kiss me in front of our friends and relatives and hug me, but it was without any passion or feeling. It was just an act to give the illusion of the happily married couple."

"You stayed in that marriage for too long, Iris."

"I had planned to end it, Jim, but David was murdered before I acted. Let me say this. When you touch me I shiver; when you kiss me, my knees turn to jelly; when you hold me, I don't want you to ever let go. It's all I can do to keep myself from throwing you down and having my way with you." Iris let out a slow exhale after that, surprised she had been so open about her feelings, now wondering if she'd said too much too soon.

"Put that on for me, darlin'," Brass requested huskily.

Iris slipped off the bed and into his bathroom for several moments. When she came back out in the nightgown and robe, she shyly lay back down beside Jim as he held her close.

"It's beautiful, Jim, thank you," Iris whispered with her head on his chest.

"No, you're in it and that's what makes it beautiful," Jim insisted as he turned her chin up for a kiss.

The buzzer on the dryer sounded that Iris's clothes were ready. Iris grumbled under her breath as she sat up to head to the utility room. Jim wouldn't let her go as she gave him a puzzled look.

"My clothes are ready. I'd better get dressed and go." Iris said half-heartedly.

"Don't go," Brass said entreatingly.

"Jim, it's late and we're both working day shift tomorrow," Iris reasoned.

"Stay because you want to," Jim said simply.

"You had me at don't go," Iris teased with a soft kiss to Brass's lips.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter Ten

Brass lay contentedly on his back as Iris spooned against him as they exchanged kiss after kiss. Her leg slowly slid up his and gently rested on his lower abdomen, her thigh accidentally making contact with his aroused state. Iris's eyes flew open in surprise as they each regarded one another in the dim light. Her hand rested on his cheek as she fondly caressed it.

"Are you surprised or upset about the effect you have on me?" Jim questioned gruffly.

"Not upset but I wish we could…you know."

"Do you want to?"

"Yes, in the worst way."

"There's a but coming I can sense it."

"It's just I don't want to seem easy to you, like peanut butter girls we called them back in Indy, and I'm old-fashioned about this. I believe in I do before I will. Guess that puts out your fire, huh?"

"Whoa, whoa, whoa, are you kidding me? I don't twist the sheets with just anyone. To say it's been a long while for me is putting it mildly. The fact that you want to with me humbles me as well as excites me. That you're traditional about the matter doesn't put me off in the least," Brass told her candidly.

"I know we've only gone out three times and it's amazing to me that I feel so comfortable with you. Trust me that I'd not be sitting in any man's bed like I am here now," Iris declared honestly.

"I feel the same way about us and I can wait but it's hard right now especially." Brass agreed with a quirky smile as he squeezed her affectionately.

"Take your shirt off," Iris said huskily now.

"Request or invitation?" Brass questioned suggestively as he complied.

"Both," Iris said with a sly smile.

Iris gently took both of Brass's hands in her own as she kissed each fingertip, then lightly running the tip of her tongue along each finger to plant a wet kiss in the palm of the hand. Brass's occasional sharp intakes of breaths emboldened Iris. After the last kiss, she traced the lines of the palm of each hand. "It's said that you have a lifeline that is in the palm of each person's hand. I don't believe in that myself but then there is your saliva line."

"My saliva line?" Jim questioned in a strained voice, feeling as if he were going to burst.

"Yes, your saliva line is to see how hot I can get you," Iris said with a mischievous look as she laid Brass back down.

"You're in the driver's seat," Brass said again suggestively.

Iris mulled this over as she wondered how to remedy this unique situation and keep honor and virtue intact. She wasn't impulsive by nature and how to resolve the matter caused her to puzzle a few moments while Jim snuggled her to him.

It was time to take no prisoners as she went into action. She began to trail slow wet kisses beginning from the side of his mouth and serially descending neck to chest to abdomen. Brass was literally frozen with the pleasurable sensations she was providing. She blew on his tummy as if he was a little baby, causing him to gasp and laugh.

"Iris, what are you up to?"

"It's not me who's up, it's you!"

"Very funny, so you better quit while you're ahead."

"Ahead is a good way to put it."

"I don't get your point."

"Um, I'm getting your point though." Iris gently moved her hand further down Jim's abdomen to take hold of the situation while Brass gave a soft groan in response to what she was doing. She kept slow, wet kisses going up and down his abdomen as he periodically jerked spasmodically beneath her. He kept pace with her and they synced to move together with a sweet exquisite rhythm being created for his benefit.

"Iris, I can't hold off anymore," Brass groaned as he twisted beneath her but Iris kept him pinned as her hands continued their ministrations as Brass's own hands knotted in her hair while her inexorably soft kisses continued all over his lower abdomen.

With another loud groan, Jim gasped out Iris's name in a ragged cry as his release was greater and more satisfying than he could readily remember. After catching his breath, he pulled her back up to him in a crushing embrace.

"Am I hired?" Iris purred against his neck.

Brass was continuing to catch his breath as his blood pressure began to come back down. He gave her a shaky nod of his head.

"I'll take that as a yes. Give me a minute while I clean up my crime scene." Iris looked at him impishly as she produced a small towel that she then quickly utilized. She then left Brass to have a few minutes alone to calm down while she took the used towel to put in the laundry and retrieve her clothes.

Brass was under the covers and had her side turned down as she quietly laid down beside him. She turned on her side to face him with dark chocolate eyes as she'd removed her eyeglasses prior to lying down. He didn't hesitate to fold her into his arms.

"I'm blind as a bat without my glasses, sweetie," she whispered shyly as she ran a finger along his chin.

"You wanted to stay, right?" Brass asked to remind himself.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be, if you don't mind settling for just kissing and snuggling."

"Who's settling? I'd rather have you here than the highest-priced call girl in all of Vegas!"

"Uh, thanks, I think."

"Hear me out, Iris. I've never been with someone as sweet and caring and giving as you in my life. The closest was Annie."

"I remember the picture you showed me earlier tonight of her. She's very beautiful. I could understand you missing her very much."

"Let's be clear on this, hon. I do care for her and I always will, but that doesn't take away from what's right here and right now between us."

"She was who you needed during a hard time in your life."

"I appreciate you saying kind words about Annie. I hope you get to meet her someday."

"I'd like that," Iris said honestly.

Brass found himself hitting a tired streak as a yawn escaped him. Iris snuggled against him and kissed his shoulder as he slipped his arm around her to pull her close. She buried her face into his neck and nuzzled his ear affectionately. He gave a contented sigh before yawning again.

"G'night, Jim," Iris said sleepily as her arm went across his chest.

"G'night, Iris, I'm glad you stayed." Brass murmured into her hair.

It was early in the morning when Brass woke up, finding Iris had already slipped away. He hugged the pillow that had cradled her head, smelling the faint clean smell of her perfume. With a smile, he realized he missed her but would see her soon at work as he was only doing a half-day. Stretching and yawning, he got up to head to the shower.

Iris was going over her final notes on the Jack Thompson case. Her mind went back to when his ex-wife had finally shown up three days after Brass had called her to sign release papers for the funeral home to claim the body. Iris and Brass had met her briefly. She had expressed her thanks in a very superficial and false manner as she hurried to leave. Iris wouldn't let her go that easy.

"Mrs. Thompson?" Iris asked.

The woman turned with an exasperated look at Iris. "What?"

"Are you sure you don't want Phantom?"

"That stinking mutt was his not mine. Just have it put to sleep!" Nancy Thompson's exit was as abrupt as her entrance.

Jim said, "She reminds me of my ex-wife more and more."

"Jack deserved better and so did you," Iris observed with a glare at where Nancy had been standing.

Iris's thoughts came back to the here and now as she concluded the file on Jack Thompson's case. She sat back with a sigh as Sara walked by and saw her friend in the break room.

"Morning, Iris! So how was date number three?" Sara asked as she pulled up a chair.

"It was interesting to say the least. I made us an Olive Garden dinner at his place. He showed me his house and gave me a boxing lesson. Pretty low-key all in all." Iris replied casually.

"Boxing?" Sara queried with a raised eyebrow.

"Yeah, he boxed in school and college and in the Marines. He still does it to keep fit. Actually it was pretty cool," Iris replied.

"I'm glad to hear you two are having fun dating!" Sara said with a smile.

"I was actually starting to feel I wouldn't meet someone. I know eventually I'd like to be married again and maybe have kids by adopting or something. I want it all, Sara, the brass ring like on the merry-go-round." Iris said and then covered her mouth in astonishment with a shocked look.

"The brass ring? Omigosh, Iris, you've fallen for him haven't you?" Sara asked with an incredulous expression before delightedly giving Iris a hug.

"Aw, Sara, that's silly! I'm fond of Brass and care about him, sure, but one could say I fell for him my first day here, Sara, remember? We collided as I was taking cases back to Records and we fell with him landing on top of me. That was embarrassing enough." Iris protested but could tell that Sara wasn't buying her bill of goods as she shrugged her shoulders.

"Don't worry! Your secret's safe with me, but Brass could surprise you! I'm headed home with Grissom," Sara whispered with a sly smile as she stood to leave.

Later that morning, Iris was walking down the lab hallway when she ran into Sofia and Brass. She had been hoping to see Brass at a later time and took a deep breath. "Hi, Sofia. Morning, Jim. By the way, Jim, Phantom got returned to Animal Control. The family turned out to be allergic to him."

"He'll get a home, Iris, don't worry," Jim told her confidently.

"Hiya, Iris! Where are you headed?" Sofia asked. She and Brass started walking with Iris.

"Grissom's sending me home early so I can come back tonight as Greg's still out with that stomach flu that's going around." Iris informed them.

"He looked like green lettuce the other night I was working a crime scene with him." Sofia recalled sympathetically.

Just ahead of them two patrolmen were having a conversation as they also went down the same hallway.

"Can you believe it about Captain Brass?"

"What are you talking about?"

"You haven't heard who's gotten him to go out on three dates?"

"That's none of my business."

"It's one of the graveyard CSI's for crying out loud!"

"Whoa then, Willows? Man, I wouldn't kick her out of the hay! I'd also put Sidle and Curtis in that league."

"No, it's the newest one…King isn't it?"

"Yeah, that's her.

"Well, I just don't see her catching his eye or anyone else's."

"That's cold, Carson!"

"Sorry, I call it like I see it."

As the patrolmen turned the corner, Brass's face was inscrutable as his stride quickened so he could catch the officers before they reached the elevators. Sofia glanced at Iris with questioning eyes as Iris put a hand out to stop them both.

"I got it from here," she said simply as she turned the corner.

The patrolmen were waiting for an elevator as Iris came up beside them. The officer named Carson gave her a nod and a thin smile. She returned his greeting. "Good morning, Officer Carson."

"Morning, Investigator King." Officer Carson replied curtly.

"I hope you and your partner have a good day, so be careful out there." Iris said amiably.

"Thank you, ma'am," the other officer said politely.

"Officer Carson, just a quick word of advice. Voices carry and it's not always wise to judge a book by its cover as you might be surprised by what you read inside if you but take the time." Iris said pleasantly as she gave them a smile that radiated sincerity as she headed into a different elevator.

Officer Carson stood there sheepishly after the elevator doors had closed behind Iris. Sofia and Brass now came to stand beside him. Officer Carson exchanged a look with Sofia before Jim stood directly in front of him. His partner gave them plenty of room. Brass's look at Officer Carson was withering.

"She let you off easy, pal, remember that!" Jim said sternly before he and Sofia also headed up the hallway.

"Sorry, Captain Brass!" Officer Carson apologized but superficially.

Brass turned on his heel and strode back to where Officer Carson and his partner stood. "Don't apologize to me, kid, you apologize to _her_!"

As Sofia walked on with him, Brass tried to call Iris on her cell phone but it went to voicemail. He muttered an oath while Sofia gave him an amused look.

"Is she avoiding me?" Jim wondered out loud.

"She probably just wants to go home and get some sleep." Sofia suggested.

"She got enough sleep!" Jim blurted as he then rubbed his neck at his faux pas.

"I'll pretend I didn't hear that," Sofia snickered before adding. "Jim, don't sweat it, she'll call you back."


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter Eleven

Iris whipped the Jeep out of the parking lot and smacked her steering wheel in frustration. She was angry she had let Officer Carson's comments and opinion get under her skin the way it had. It hadn't been the first time in her life she'd dealt with someone over the subject. Her cell phone rang every few minutes with Brass's ring tone but she ignored it. She wasn't up to answering questions or explaining herself. Upon arriving home, she quickly walked the dogs and then went to bed for a long nap. Her cell phone continued to ring intermittently with Brass's ring tone which she never acknowledged.

Iris came back in early for her night shift. She could see lightning in the distance and could feel and smell the approaching storm even though it was at least an hour away. Walking into the locker area, she found Nick and Greg and Warrick literally drooling as they went through a stack of Victoria's Secret catalogues. She heard comments of "Oh, man, look at her !...That girl's THE bomb…Check out the fun bags on this one!...For one night with her, I'd sell my soul!"

"Gentlemen, first, you all need bibs; second, do you see anything you like?" Iris questioned suggestively with a smirk.

Startled, the men quickly set the catalogues down as they'd been caught red-handed and knew it.

"Uh, Iris, we're not on-duty yet," Gregg said sheepishly.

"Guys, I don't care! Who do these belong to anyway?" Iris questioned with a chuckle.

"Actually Brass brought them in this morning and we're still trying to figure him out." Nick replied as gave Iris a playful hit on the shoulder.

"Figure him out? I don't quite follow," Iris said trying not to sound vague.

"For Brass to turn loose of his beloved catalogues is newsworthy, Iris, make no mistake. You're having an influence on him already," Warrick declared.

Iris stood with arms folded as she took in what her teammates told her.

"Iris, you want to help me shake a car down for trace? Grissom may cut the other guys loose with it going to rain as business tends to slow down," Warrick requested.

"You got it, Warrick." Iris replied as she walked with him toward the garage part of the lab.

The storm that arrived soon thereafter was a severe one showing a dazzling array of lightning streaking and arcing across the sky while deafening thunder followed. Brass could barely see through the driving rain as it drummed off the roof of his car. Jim had tried all day to reach Iris and she'd not returned his calls. He'd even driven by her town home late that afternoon and seen her Jeep there. Had he done something to tick her off he pondered. This was one of those nights he was thankful for the parking garage as he pulled in for graveyard shift. Usually on nights like this it kept the criminal element subdued and made for a light work night. He saw Iris's Jeep and parked by it.

Grissom had given the night off to some of the CSI's as no calls had been received for them to respond to but kept them on-call. Sara sat across from him in his office as she leafed through a magazine while he worked on a crossword puzzle. Warrick was going over a vehicle for trace evidence and Iris had offered to help him.

"Hey, Sara, Gil! Either of you seen Iris tonight?" Brass questioned as he stopped by Gil's office.

"I think she's helping Warrick process a vehicle for trace," Grissom replied.

"No, Griss, she's on break right now on the OD," Sara interjected while Grissom gave her a confused look.

"What's the OD?" It was Brass's turn to be puzzled.

"That's what she calls it up on top of the parking garage – the observation deck is just a large storage room with windows. You know she loves to watch storms and the one tonight's a doozy. Like I said, she's up there to watch it up and close and personal. She should be back down in about ten minutes or so," Sara finished as she casually resumed looking at her magazine.

"Thanks, Sara, I'll catch her up there." Brass quickly exited Grissom's office.

Sara looked over at Grissom and gave him a secretive smile. Grissom cocked his head slightly as he gave her a long, loving stare. Her head dropped as a blush that rivaled Iris's started from her neck and quickly involved her cheeks. Grissom took the moment to simply grasp Sara's hand to kiss quickly.

The elevator wasn't going fast enough for Brass as it neared the top floor. He then had to go up a flight of stairs to reach the top of the parking garage. As he opened the door, he entered a large room with windows and saw Iris standing outside under the roof. Jim stepped outside and pulled her in as she protested.

"Jim, what are you doing up here?"

"You don't answer any of my calls the rest of today and tonight I can't find you only to be told you're up here to watch a storm?" Jim asked with an exasperated look.

Iris hung her head guiltily for a moment before responding. "I'm sorry, JB, but I left here this morning in a bad mood. I wouldn't have been worth talking to. I let what Officer Carson said get to me and that's not usual for me. Besides, you know I like to watch it storm."

"Iris, he's a self-centered jerk who thinks he's God's gift to all things female and it'll get him into trouble professionally or personally one day if not both," Brass insisted as he moved to pull her close but she held him at arm's length.

"Jim, I'm never going to be a Victoria's Secret level girl," Iris said sadly.

"What's that got to do with us? I prefer my woman to have meat on her bones with some bounce to the ounce!" Brass demanded.

"Are you surprised we've dated? Others say we're too…" Iris said with a catch in her voice.

"Do you think I give a rat's butt what others say about us? What matters is what we think and what we feel!" Brass asserted firmly.

"We've had three great dates and perhaps that's enough," Iris remarked as she turned away from Brass to look at a lightning strike nearby as the room literally shook with the rumble of thunder.

"Bull!" Jim said irritably he turned Iris to him.

"What brought you up here that couldn't wait until I got back from my break?" Iris questioned in a scolding fashion with a cocked head and flashing eyes.

Just then, Jim stepped back as a grin creased his face and he began to laugh heartily. Iris was confused and her eyes mirrored this as she put her hands on her hips and looked at Brass trying to figure things out.

"Iris, we're having our first lover's quarrel!" Jim said.

"Brass, that's pretty bold!" Iris fumed at Jim.

"You're cute when you're moody," Jim chuckled.

Iris threw up her hands and turned to leave as Brass headed her off the pass and caught her in his arms in a vise-like embrace. Her head was buried into his chest while she squirmed to get out of his grasp but he held her fast. She let a sigh go at last as she nestled against him, enjoying the closeness between them. Jim softly kissed the top of her head.

"Jim, I'm afraid."

"Of what?"

"About what I think and feel about you and that it's so quick."

"When did you first notice me, Iris, I mean like attracted?"

Iris gave a shaky laugh at that as she answered, "That first day when I fell for you or you fell on me I should say. What about you?"

"The same night when you left me beef stew with corn muffins and a sweet note about Ellie. Iris, here's how I see it. You're a sweet little something to put my arms around because you're my brown-eyed girl."

"I am?" Iris whispered against his chest as Brass felt her quiver against him as she shook her head in near disbelief.

"Oh, yeah, I'm interested in being your one and only." Brass stated as he took her face in his hands to plant a long, slow kiss on her.

"Wow-whoa-whew!" Iris whispered up at him.

"You're rubbing off on me too. You've got this Jersey boy listening to country music and liking to slow dance and, to top things off, I'm picking up Phantom in the morning so I'm also going to be a dog owner thanks to you." Brass conceded.

Iris's eyes went wide in surprise as she let out a little squeal and hugged Jim so hard he nearly lost his breath as he looked down at her delighted expression. It took so little to make her happy it seemed.

"I need to get back to helping Warrick," Iris said reluctantly.

"Yeah, I'm on standby for any crime scene calls but let's hope that Vegas behaves itself tonight."

On the elevator ride back down to the lab floor, Brass pinned Iris for a series of quick kisses between floors just in case someone might get on. She was fanning herself by the time they reached their floor, causing Jim to have a smug expression as they exited the elevator. Brass stopped at Grissom's office while Iris headed on to rejoin Warrick in the garage.

Grissom looked up and saw Iris walking jauntily by as Brass stepped on in to take a seat. Grissom regarded his best friend over his glasses with a knowing smile.

"I see you found Iris. So all is well?"

"Iris and I just became a twosome."

"That was quick, Jim, so you're sure about this?"

"Yeah, I don't want to lose a good thing."

"Great news, I'm optimistic about you two."

Jim returned to his office and took a seat before firing up Jack Thompson's laptop. Once again, he read the LiveJournal entries of a man who had taken drastic steps to relieve his feelings of hopelessness and loneliness in the midst of failing health. Too bad Jack hadn't had someone like Iris there for him, Brass mused to himself. He knew Iris would have stuck by him had it been him in the same situation. Brass shut the computer down and would return it to the Evidence Room later on.

The next morning there were few signs of the potent storm from the night before aside from wet concrete as Brass headed out to his car. Iris's Jeep remained as she and Warrick had gotten a late night call to a convenience store robbery with the robber shot dead by the clerk. Good guys one, bad guys zero, Brass thought, as he patted the old white Jeep affectionately. Iris still drove her late 1980's Jeep and refused to use a new Tahoe or Denali. She'd told Grissom her old stump jumper could keep up with their brand-new vehicles.

He was now headed to pick up Phantom, finding his life had taken some recent unexpected turns and hoping to have what had eluded Jack Thompson. Finding "Making Memories of Us" on a country station, Brass turned it up as he pulled out of the parking garage. The song making him smile and think of a certain brown-eyed girl…his.

THE END

Thanks for reading and please review. I will answer each one. Thanks, Ladykestrel


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